One of the greatest deficiencies in American Christianity is genuine prayerfulness, a failure to acknowledge a very real need to commune and communicate with God. It is clear in Scripture that the discipline of prayer is critical to the health of the believer but also the mission of God and how He responds to us as we speak with Him. In an effort to cultivate a culture of prayer in the Church, many theologians have written extensively on the subject of calling on the Lord in prayer. They have advocated and promoted churches and people turning to the Lord in the work of prayer. With that said, there are many theologians who have advocated for what is called "contemplative prayer," a form of prayer that focuses on the emptying of the conscious mind and on embracing the mystery of God.

We have invited President of Living Faith Bible Institute, Sam Miles to discuss this approach to prayer. Today we will be asking: What problems are there with contemplative or centering prayer? Does it honestly reflect prayer what the Bible says about prayer?

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This week we speak with Pastor Troy Stogsdill of First Baptist Church of New Philadelphia, Ohio to get a glimpse into the sermon topics of the Living Faith Fellowship's Certainty Conference this year which will take place October 1-4, 2023.

The Certainty Conference is the Living Faith Fellowship’s annual doctrine conference where we address prevalent and important theological questions. The 2023 conference will be on the topic of “The Next Generation”.

Some of the questions the conference will be considering are, what does it mean to pass on our doctrinal DNA? How do we propagate a biblical theology and philosophy of ministry into future pastors and leaders?

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Visit https://www.lffellowship.com/certainty for more on Certainty Conference 2023

Today, Pastor Brian Clark brings an update from Crossroads Baptist Church, London, also announcing a new book coming soon called Just A.S.K. which expounds on several themes from today's conversation on evangelism.

First, Brian shares next steps for preparing a new church plant which his team is trusting God for over the next several years. We then discuss the topic of winning souls from examples in the early Church. Illustrating this topic, Brian shares testimonies of trial and error, learning from mistakes and how God made him the leader of a church-planting work in London.

How does the follower of Christ prepare for the work of evangelism? How should believers approach the lost about the gospel? How does the believer keep the conversation going with the lost? Questions like these and many more are answered in this episode.

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This week we are having a conversation regarding the true identity of the biblical character Leviathan with Dr. Chris Best, who is a professor of Biblical Studies and Missiology at Living Faith Bible Institute. The creature has often eluded the attention of scholars and theologians. While there are many theories regarding this dragon monster of the sea, we delve into a study revealing the not only his scriptural identity and his fate, but also why it matters to the believer's life. In this episode we answer the questions: How did Leviathan come to exist, why does he operate incognito today, why should the believer care, and how should the believer behave with the biblical data regarding this character?

Comparing passages in Job 41, Psalms 74, Revelation 12, and Revelation 20 we identify Leviathan by name and description, revealing God's purpose in exposing his identity before his ultimate destruction.

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This week we are sitting down with Hutson Smelley, author of “Deconstructing Calvinism: A Biblical Analysis and Refutation”. Not only is he is a seasoned student of God’s word but he is also a practicing lawyer, mathematician, teaching elder in his local church, husband and father of seven. Today we walk through Romans chapter 9 and show why it does not say what many reformed theologians argue it says.

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Purchase Deconstructing Calvinism: A Biblical Analysis and Refutation here: https://a.co/d/i9MurOh

This week we have Pastor Joe McKaig of Decatur Baptist Church in Decatur, AL, who is the instructor of the Introduction to Homiletics course in the Living Faith Bible Institute. We are going to discuss what it means to be salt and light within the communities that we live.

What does it look like for the church to be a friend and support within their community? What does it mean for the pastor to shepherd the relationships they have with those outside of the church?

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In this episode with pastor and LFBI professor Dan Reneau we examine the Scriptures on Abraham's Bosom, also known as Paradise. We begin by touching briefly on the opponents to the doctrine of the descent of Christ. Next we look at the location, purposes and history of Abraham's Bosom and why it is not in use by Old or New Testament saints according to the Bible. What is Abraham's connection to the paradise for Old Testament saints? When Christ died on the cross where was His soul for three days? When did Christ ascend to the Father according to Scripture? These are just a few questions answered in today's conversation.

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We discuss the life of missionary Narcissa Whitman with James Fyffe, professor of missiology at the Living Faith Bible Institute. Narcissa moved West with the gospel in the 1800's at a time women were not commonly going to the mission field. We discuss the hurdles she faced and how she went to the Cayuse and the Nez Percé tribes with the intention of spreading the gospel. Lastly, we glean principles from an analysis of her journals for supporting sent missionaries from home churches.

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We speak with Dr. Alan Shelby, Dean of LFBI, about the historical roots of a dispensational view of Scripture. Dr. Shelby explains the need for right divisions in understanding the Bible and emphasizes Dispensationalism as the hermeneutic that supports the most literal interpretation of the Scriptures. He defines Dispensationalism then highlights how it differs from other methods of interpretation that begin with human reasoning and often skeptical pre-suppositions. He explores the early modern roots and heritage of Dispensational thought, as well as the historical roots of positions such as premillennialism, the pretribulation rapture, imminent return of Christ and forms of Christian zionism. He traces these perspectives back to the very disciples of the twelve apostles, marking the connection of a fellowship of believers through God's Word that has lasted through history.

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We speak with Pastor Kenny Morgan, professor and chair of the Foundations program at LFBI, to talk about the importance of a biblical quiet time in a believer's life. Kenny defines the term "quiet time," and emphasizes its importance in creating the true worshippers the Lord seeks. He speaks on the privilege believers have in holding a personal relationship with God, and how this time of relationship through prayer, worship, and the Word is the most essential part of a Christian's day. He gives examples of what a quiet time might look like, and goes through the warning signs, dangers, and hurdles that may be encountered through quiet time during one's walk with the Lord.

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