Scott Distler, pastor of Gaylord E-Free Church joins me to talk about his book The Cave: When Ministry Becomes Misery.Pastor Scott shares his testimony of how his apparent ministry success quickly turned into misery through betrayal.After the prophet Elijah scored a miraculous victory against the prophets of Baal, he soon found himself hiding in a cave asking God to end his life.This “cave” experience is what Pastor Scott wants to help us recognize and endure with humility and faith.Scott DistlerScott Distler is the lead pastor at Gaylord E-Free Church (a multi-campus church with campuses in Gaylord and Sault, Michigan). He holds a Pastoral Ministries degree and a Masters in Religion from Liberty University. Scott has served a role of pastor
What Is Love?
My wife Chelsea returns to co-host with me for this Valentines Day episode.What is love?Dictionaries describe it as a “feeling,” “affection,” “passion,” or “desire.”These are all well and good, but do they fully describe what love is?The Bible has a lot to say about love that doesn’t quite fit these terms.We see how the Bible defines love asCommandedSacrificialSelflessUnconditionalThe world often gets the cart before the horse. Feelings aren’t necessarily the source of commitment. Rather, commitment properly produces feelings.Sources Cited:Merriam-Webster, s.v. “love,” accessed February 12, 2022, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/love.Dictionary.com, s.v. “love,” accessed February 12, 2022, https://www.dictionary.com/browse/love.Scriptures Cited:Matthew 22:35-401 John 4:10-11Ephesians 5:2,25,32John 15:131 Corinthians 13:4-7Romans 5:8Luke 6:27Proverbs 10:12
Is Jesus Like Doctor Octopus? (part 3)
We are continuing and finally concluding a series of episodes comparing Jesus to superheroes. This series will tackle wrong ideas about Jesus from church history in chronological order. A superhero (in this case a super villain) will represent each of these ideas.This is part 3 of 3 of “Is Jesus Like Doctor Octopus?”In this episode we cover two takeaways from the monothelite controversy that matter to us today:Monothelitism compromises substitutionary atonement (Heb 2:14-18; 4:15; 5:7-9).The barrage of anathemas against Pope Honorius I who was complicit in the error refutes the Roman Catholic dogma of papal infallibility.Sources Consulted:“Third Council of Constantinople,” New Advent, Accessed February 6, 2022.Philip Schaff, ed., “The Sentence Against the Monothelites.” Christian Classics Ethereal Library, Accessed February 6,
Is Jesus Like Doctor Octopus (part 2)
We are continuing a series of episodes comparing Jesus to superheroes. This series will tackle wrong ideas about Jesus from church history in chronological order. A superhero will represent each of these ideas.This is part 2 of 2 3 of “Is Jesus Like Doctor Octopus?”After a bit of review of our superheroes and the issues, we look at the intricate history of this conflict over monothelitism in the seventh century.Monothelitism was political position that was intentionally constructed to reconcile the orthodox with the monophysites to unite and strengthen the Byzantine empire.Some of the orthodox who opposed this compromise doctrine suffered tremendously for the truth. We owe them a debt of gratitude rather than let them slip through the cracks of
With Me in Paradise: A Problem for Jehovah’s Witnesses
In this episode of Truthspresso Express I talk about the Jehovah’s Witnesses contention over what Jesus told the thief on the cross: “Today, you will be with me in paradise.”We can observe several points:The word today is unnecessary if it isn’t part of the message.The word paradise is also what Paul observed as the “third heaven.”According to Jehovah’s Witness teaching, Jesus couldn’t even be with the thief in paradise.Scriptures Referenced:Luke 23:42-432 Corinthians 12:2-4
Is Jesus Like Doctor Octopus? (part 1)
We are continuing a series of episodes comparing Jesus to superheroes. This series will tackle wrong ideas about Jesus from church history in chronological order. A superhero will represent each of these ideas.This is part 1 of 2 of “Is Jesus Like Doctor Octopus?”Who is Doctor Octopus?How are Jesus and Doctor Octopus similar?They both seemingly have a distinct human and “divine” nature.They are both a single person.How are Jesus and Doctor Octopus different?Doctor Octopus has only one active will: the will of the super arms.Jesus has both an active human will and an active divine will.Are there Scriptures that show the two wills of Jesus?Jesus had the same divine will with the Father (Joh 5:17-23, see v.19)Jesus had a distinct
The Contradictory Secular Gospel of the V
At long last another episode of Truthspresso Express!After studying a barrage of articles showing contradictory and gaping holes in the narrative to push the V, I present the case for sanity and truth.How do we reconcile firing tens of thousands of healthy workers for not taking a V with expecting others to work even while symptomatic from the very contagion that the V is supposed to prevent? Our society has seriously jumped the shark. “The Science” has become a secular gospel of conformity, not actual health care.Sources Consulted:Adriana Gomez Licon and Jennifer McDermott, “US hospitals letting staff members infected with COVID stay on the job,” Stars and Stripes, January 10, 2022.Andrew Miller, “Hospitals across the U.S. turning to foreign nurses
Talking Jehovah’s Witnesses on Quest For Truth
Keith Heltsley, co-host of the Quest For Truth podcast, interviewed me and my brother John to talk about Jehovah’s Witnesses and our book When the Watchtower Knocks: Discussing an Encounter With Jehovah’s Witnesses.The interview was originally recorded on November 10, 2021 and was aired on Quest For Truth on November 15.Quest For Truth and Truthspresso are both member podcasts of the Christian Podcast Community, a part of Striving For Eternity ministries.Also check out these resources!Life Truth Network with Keith Heltsley and Nathan CaldwellQuest For Truth episode 345: Discussing Jehovah’s Witnesses with Daniel and John MynykQuest For Truth episode 309: Superblian and Superhero, Daniel MynykWhen the Watchtower Knocks: Discussing an Encounter with Jehovah’s Witnesses by Daniel and John Mynyk
Biblical Resolutions (part 2)
Chelsea and I continue and close our two-part series about New Year’s resolutions from a Biblical perspective.We begin with three weird and unusual New Year’s resolutions that people have made.Then we continue our assessment from the Bible about the kinds of resolutions that Christians should make. We should reflect about how Christianity looks at life differently from the world:Christians shouldn’t think in cycles but in permanency and about eternityChristians should resolve to make changes now and from now onSources Cited:Byron Udell, “15 Most Unusual New Year’s Resolutions,” AccuQuote, December 22, 2017.Scriptures Cited:Hebrews 9:25-262 Peter 3:3-4, 11-13Proverbs 28:13Galatians 5:1Ephesians 4:28-291 Timothy 4:81 Peter 2:1, 111 Peter 4:2-4Isaiah 40:28-31Romans 6:21-22
Biblical Resolutions (part 1)
Chelsea and I recorded this episode late at night closing out the year 2021.We discuss the history of New Year’s resolutions. The roots go back to ancient history!We hash some statistics about how many people make resolutions, what they’re about, and how successful (or unsuccessful many are).We then look at what the Bible says about resolutions and making rash promises. The secular world is often flippant and rash with empty pledges. Christians should be slow to make promises and take their own words to heart as the Bible says “Let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and your ‘No’ be ‘No.’”Sources Cited:Amanda Capritto, “The history of New Year’s resolutions and celebrations,” CNet.com, December 1, 2020.Sarah Pruitt, “The History of New Year’s Resolutions,”