WWUTT 1915 Q&A Christian Coffee, the Location of Eden, Incest in the Bible, G3 Conference

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April 21, 2023

Responding to questions from listeners about the location of the Garden of Eden, did God ever allow incest in the Bible, is it okay for Christians to attend huge conferences, and teaching resources. Visit wwutt.com for all our videos!

00:01: Was incest ever okay in the Bible? Where was the Garden of Eden originally located?
00:07: And is there a Biblical case for attending big conferences like G3? The answers to these questions and others, when we understand the text.
00:24: This is when we understand the text, a daily Bible commentary in the word of Christ to encourage your time with the
00:30: Lord. Tell your friends about our ministry at www .utt .com. Here once again is
00:36: Pastor Gabe. Thank you, Becky. You're welcome. Psalm 71. In you, O Yahweh, I have taken refuge.
00:44: Let me never be ashamed. In your righteousness, deliver me and protect me, incline your ear to me and save me.
00:54: Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come. You have given the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.
01:05: Protect me, O my God, out of the hand of the wicked, out of the grasp of the unrighteous and ruthless man.
01:13: For you are my hope, O Lord Yahweh, you are my trust from my youth.
01:19: By you I have been sustained from my birth. You are he who took me from my mother's womb.
01:26: My praise is continually of you. Such a wonderfully applicable psalm to all kinds of situations.
01:34: And I've sent that psalm to several people this week. Oh, yeah? Yeah. So it's just kind of a time a lot of people need some encouragement and reminders.
01:43: Yeah, that's what I was going to say. It's very encouraging. Yeah. Reminders that the Lord is with us, protecting us and has sustained us even from our birth.
01:52: Amen. Now, you weren't a Christian from your birth. No. But consider that the Lord brought you to the place that he had predestined you to be, to hear the gospel of Christ and be convicted of heart by it and come to faith in Jesus.
02:07: Yeah. All of this by the mighty hand of God. First Corinthians 1 .30, it is his doing that you are in Christ Jesus.
02:16: Amen. So praise the Lord. Even this trial or circumstance or difficulty that you're going through is something that God means for you to go through for your good and for his glory.
02:28: Do not be ashamed. Let me never be ashamed in your righteousness. Deliver me and protect me.
02:35: Yes. Well, this is the Friday edition of our broadcast when we take questions from the listeners. Yes, we do.
02:40: And you can submit those questions to whenweunderstandthetext at gmail .com. Babe, have you gotten your
02:46: Squirrely Joes order yet? Not yet. Not yet. Looking forward to it.
02:52: We've tried Squirrely Joes. We really like it. It's coffee. We're talking about coffee. We? Well, my role in this is to smell it.
03:03: Ah, I see. Yeah. I don't drink coffee. No. But I like the smell of it and I like a happy wife.
03:11: Which makes me very happy. That's right. I buy her the coffee she likes. I think it's the best coffee
03:16: I've ever had. I was hoping you would say so. Yeah. Yeah. That's what I'm talking about. Now, we love supporting local commerce, but in this particular instance, we're supporting a
03:25: Christian company. Yes. The fellow that owns and runs Squirrely Joes Coffee is a
03:31: Christian. He's not asked us to do this. We're not getting a perk. No. Except by drinking the coffee.
03:36: I'd hope that would perk you up a little bit. I hope so. Right. She's had some. We're waiting for the new order to come in.
03:43: Yes. Yeah. I ran out not that long ago from the sample pack that you got me.
03:50: Which had like all the different kinds. Yeah. And you settled on, what was it called? Early Bird.
03:55: Early Bird. Which most of the coffee I've ever bought you, you want that light roast or the medium light in the morning.
04:03: Yeah. And the rest of it is, I mean, it tastes really, really good. It's just that one was my favorite.
04:09: But usually with other brands, if I get anything other than some sort of,
04:16: I guess it's Donut Shop is seems to be the common name that I go to.
04:23: I don't even know what that is. But yeah, anyway. I don't either. Go on. But it doesn't have all the extra flavors in it.
04:29: And so it doesn't irritate my tongue. Yeah. Because something in the others, I don't know if it has cinnamon or what flavor it is.
04:36: I don't know. Or if it's just too bitter. But it'll agitate my tongue. It has real squirrel nuts.
04:43: But Squirrely Joes didn't do that at all. Oh, okay. They're darker. Like the really dark one.
04:49: Yeah. It was really, really smooth. Oh, was it? Yeah. It wasn't too heavy for you? No, it was amazing.
04:54: Well, I had come across them listening to Justin Bullington's podcast, the Theo Bros podcast. Oh, yeah.
05:00: And he interviewed the owner. Sorry, owner. I forgot your name. It kind of just left my head. I know it's a family.
05:06: Yeah, right. The whole family helps. So, I looked him up online and like, okay, we still haven't found a good coffee for Becky.
05:13: There was a coffee that I was buying you when we were in Kansas that you like. We moved to Texas. All the brands are different.
05:19: Yeah. So, I came across this one and, hey, thought I'd give it a shot. See if you liked it. Yeah. And my wife's happy.
05:25: So, I'm going to keep buying it. Yes. Passing on the info to you as well.
05:30: I know they're on Facebook and they're on Twitter. Yeah. That's Squirrely Joes. That's Squirrely Joes. I follow him on Twitter.
05:37: And yeah, again, still can't remember his name. Yeah. I could do the not lazy thing and actually look it up here.
05:43: You could. But all you need to know is Squirrely Joes and then you're looking up. Dot com, right? Yep. Squirrelyjoes .com.
05:49: I think I did a Google search for it. I didn't go straight to the site. But you'll get there if you like good coffee.
05:55: Check it out. Excellent coffee. There are several Christian coffee makers out there.
06:00: Really? Oh, yeah. I had no idea. All different kinds. Yeah. Is it like reformed coffee? Well, that makes sense. I mean,
06:06: I'm sure there's one called reformed coffee. Yeah. I don't. I don't drink coffee. I don't think that your morning beverage should injure you.
06:15: Injure? Yeah. Injure. How does it injure? It's scalding hot. I put an ice cube in it.
06:20: It's lava. If I got into it, I would probably drink ice coffee, but I've never been into the taste.
06:28: I can count on one hand all the cups of coffee I've had in my entire life. And ice coffee. Two of them have been married to you.
06:34: This is true. Ice coffee actually doubles the price, if not triple.
06:40: What? Depending upon where you're at. Yeah. That's lame. I know. You're not even using as much energy to heat it.
06:48: Doesn't make any sense. Yeah. It's a fad. Well, costs on everything have gone up so much,
06:55: I've had to just cut out soda. So I'll drink soda when somebody gives it to me.
07:01: But I don't go out and buy it anymore, because it's so expensive. Yeah. But I'll keep you happy with your coffee.
07:06: Thank you. All right. Well, let's get to some questions here. This first one comes from Daryl.
07:13: Hello, Gabe and Gabe's babe. Hello. I felt weird calling her babe. So it's the
07:22: Gabe and Gabe's babe show. It's almost a little redundant. I have two questions regarding Adam and Eve and the garden.
07:30: Number one, how can we combat arguments that God is for incest, since we all originate from Adam and Eve?
07:37: A coworker last week said God is for incest, since Adam and Eve's offspring would have had to procreate with each other in order to populate the earth.
07:45: Second question. This is a question I've wondered for some time. Do we know geographically where the
07:51: Garden of Eden was located? I'm curious to know. If nobody was allowed back in after the fall, where is it today?
07:59: I appreciate the help, love the podcast, and I really appreciate your dedication to teaching sound truth.
08:05: Yeah. Well, let's start with that second one first, because I want to answer that one more than I want to answer the question about the incest.
08:12: So where is the garden? I don't blame you. Where is the Garden of Eden?
08:18: Well, it would have been destroyed in the flood. So it does not have a geographical location on earth anymore.
08:24: Now, prior to the flood, yes, it would have existed with the angels guarding the entrance and the flaming sword, the flashing sword that was passing back and forth at the entrance to prevent anybody from coming in to this paradise.
08:38: But in that period of time, 2 ,000 years or however long it would have been from the creation of the world to the flood that destroyed everything, that garden would have stood there as a reminder of what
08:49: God gave to mankind and mankind rejected by rebelling against God.
08:54: Right. By going his own way instead of being obedient to the Lord. Adam and Eve, of course, fell, but the rest of mankind after them would see the garden and know.
09:05: As a reminder. As a reminder that this is what we were promised, but we rejected that to go after our own way.
09:11: And clearly the people weren't mourning over that or torn about it because mankind became so increasingly wicked that God regretted that he had made man on the earth and then brought the flood that destroyed everyone except for Noah and his wife, his three sons and their wives.
09:28: Eight people on an ark. Yep. So where would the Garden of Eden have been?
09:35: No idea. Yeah. Now, the possibility. Isn't there like the continents split too?
09:43: Well, yeah, we know that continents have divided. Yeah. And that probably happened around the time of the flood or in the receding waters of the flood, somewhere in their continent split.
09:53: And we can even tell by fossil evidence on those coastal lands of the continents that there's similarities.
09:59: You can look at a map and you can see, well, South America looks like it goes connected with the Western coast of Africa there a little bit.
10:06: Yeah. You know, there's even evidence when you look at a map that these things look like they were joined together at one point.
10:12: But as it says in 2 Peter 3, the world that once was was deluged with water and perished.
10:20: So the world that was before the flood is different than the world today. Right. Now, I've heard some make the argument that the
10:27: Garden of Eden could have been somewhere in what's called today the Fertile Crescent, which would be in the Middle East, since that's such fertile area.
10:35: But how do we know that that would have been fertile area before the flood? True. So that doesn't necessarily mean the
10:42: Garden of Eden could have been there. We just traditionally choose that place since the land is so fertile and the garden was so fruitful.
10:52: So surely it could have been right there in the Middle East somewhere. I think that's a pretty decent argument because everything that happened in the world in the
11:04: Old Testament originates kind of from that same central place of the world. Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. Right. You know what
11:09: I mean? So it's not out of bounds to say that the Garden of Eden was in the Fertile Crescent somewhere.
11:14: I'm just saying you can't really definitively say that since the world prior to the flood was different than it is now.
11:22: Yeah, I've got nothing to add to that. That's a very good point. And then we know the Table of Nations, which is all the nations that had descended from Shem, Ham and Japheth.
11:31: They all would have originated from Mount Ararat in Turkey, where the Ark would have run aground.
11:37: So then you have the Tower of Babel that was built, of course, in Babylonia, which would have been modern day
11:43: Iran, most likely, Iran or Iraq. And so then where the Tower of Babel was located and God confused the languages and the people were scattered around the world from there, you can look up a map of the
11:54: Table of Nations, kind of shows the directions that the three families would have gone. So where Shem's line went,
12:01: Ham, Japheth, I did a video on it too, where I've got the map and the arrows. Oh, yeah. I remember that.
12:06: Pointing in different directions. So that's post -Flood though. But those things that are pre -Flood, they're just going to be a mystery to us.
12:14: We're not going to know for sure. Right. Okay, now let's do the Insats question. The pre -Flood.
12:22: Yeah, right. So, and again, all of this is pre -Flood as well. When we talk about Adam and Eve having children, they had sons and daughters and those sons and daughters indeed would have married one another.
12:34: And procreated and had children. So is that, therefore, an argument for incest?
12:40: Well, no, it's not. Because this was before the law. Right. Even Abraham was married to his sister.
12:46: Mm -hmm. True. Sarah was his half -sister. Right. We don't think about that.
12:52: You know, when Abraham had gone into Egypt and he lied, and he said that Sarah's my sister so that Pharaoh...
12:57: He technically didn't lie. Yeah. It was just, it was a half -truth, which is a lie. Right. But saying that she's my sister, that was the truth.
13:06: Right. He just concealed the fact, oh, she's also my wife. Uh -huh. Now, at this time, at this day and age, that wasn't, you know, considered to be a scandalous thing for a man to marry his sister.
13:19: In fact, it was pretty common because people married within their own tribes. Mm -hmm. So a lot of people were married to members of their own family.
13:27: Yeah. It wasn't... Wasn't it, who was it, Isaac and Rebekah?
13:33: Was it them? Isaac and Rebekah were cousins. Right. But I'm saying that he went back to his family to get a wife.
13:40: Right. So... Because Abraham did not want a wife from the Canaanites... Right. ...for his son.
13:46: He wanted to go back to the family that he came from. Right. So that was where...
13:51: So it's a little bit, not quite brother and sister, but it's still the same concept of, you know... Yeah. ...marrying within the family.
13:57: Right. Within the clan or the tribe. Right. You know, however you would put that. And in Israel, that was still the case, not marrying within the family, because the law came about and it was forbidden to marry a sister.
14:06: Mm -hmm. But they would still marry within, you know, like the Levites would marry within the Levites. Right. Or the
14:12: Jews would marry within the Jews, most of the time, not always, but generally they stayed married by tribe.
14:18: But in the law, it was said that if there is a man who lies with his father's wife, he has uncovered his father's nakedness, both of them shall surely be put to death.
14:30: Their blood guiltiness is upon them. That's incest. Yeah. And it was an offense punishable by death.
14:37: If there is a man who lies with his daughter -in -law, both of them surely shall be put to death.
14:42: They have committed perversion. If there is a man who marries a woman and her mother, it is lewdness.
14:50: Both he and they shall be burned with fire, so that there will be no lewdness in your midst.
14:56: This is Leviticus 20, verse 17. If there is a man who takes his sister, his father's daughter, or his mother's daughter, so that he sees her nakedness and she sees his nakedness, it is a disgrace.
15:09: And they shall be cut off in the sight of the sons of their people. He has uncovered his sister's nakedness.
15:15: He bears his guilt. Mm -hmm. Now, there, that would have made
15:21: Abraham guilty. Yeah. Because he's marrying his mother's daughter, you know, a half -sister.
15:29: Yeah. But he's marrying a half -sister, and then according to the law, he would be cut off from his people. But that's before the law came.
15:37: Right. With God's law now instituted, these things are forbidden. And it became common in a lot of cultures after the giving of the law, that it was now a forbidden thing to marry a brother or a sister.
15:51: Right. When we get to 1 Corinthians, chapter 5, the issue of sexual immorality that's going on in the church in Corinth that Paul has to confront is specifically that a man has had his father's wife, so it's his stepmother, and that's considered incest.
16:09: Right. And Paul says, this is a sin of a kind that is so reprehensible, even the pagans know it's bad.
16:17: Right. Even the pagans are looking at you going, what are you guys thinking? Right. So, if even the pagans know that that's bad, then over this period of time, over 1500 years, it's got to become a common thing in the world that you don't marry your sibling.
16:33: Right. And so, it is today. Now, we know today that there's even all kinds of health complications that can arise.
16:40: Yeah. If you sleep with a sibling and you conceive and have children, then there can be birth defects as a result of that.
16:49: And I believe that that is God. Major health problems. Yeah. Seriously. I believe that's
16:54: God having put upon a DNA line a prevention that would hinder a brother or a sister from marrying one another.
17:04: It's like providentially God has put that in the line to prevent us from marrying one another, so that it's even a bad, it's an unhealthy thing for us to do that.
17:13: Right. So, hence why there are even unbelievers in the world today that know it's bad.
17:19: And it sounds to me that this conversation you're having, so it says here, let me go back to the question again, how can we combat against arguments that God is for incest since we all originate from Adam and Eve?
17:29: A co -worker last week said God is for incest since Adam and Eve's offspring would have had to procreate with each other to populate the earth.
17:36: So, it almost sounds to me like you're communicating with an unbeliever. Sounds like it. You know, somebody who's just making a biblical argument like, well, you
17:44: Christians, I mean, you believe in incest. You believe in incest because Adam and Eve had to sleep with one another. I don't really see a
17:49: Christian saying that. Right. I've heard that argument many, many times. I've had somebody throw it at me, an atheist, like, well, you
17:55: Christians believe in incest because where did all of us come from if it was just Adam and Eve?
18:01: Right. Yeah, it would have been Cain's sister, Seth's sister. And then later
18:07: Noah's sons. Yeah, well, yeah, then they would have been cousins.
18:12: So Noah's sons, their wives, and then the children that they had would have been cousins marrying one another.
18:18: Probably wasn't brothers and sisters. Probably. I would say that's most likely cousins. Yeah, that's true. But they still filled the earth pretty quick because it wasn't long after that you had the
18:26: Tower of Babel incident, you know. Just learn. So anyway, there's your answer, Daryl. It's probably not the cleanest answer that you would like, you know, wishing that you could say, well, they didn't marry their siblings.
18:39: You know, that criticism is going to come from people, but it's because they don't like God's Word.
18:45: Right. Not because they're trying to be rational and think these things through. Right. This next question comes from Daylen.
18:53: He says, I have heard you mentioned multiple times that you are going to G3. Yes, we're going again this
18:59: September in Atlanta. Would you watch or listen to the following podcast episode and give your thoughts on it and explain why you go to G3?
19:08: I've been listening to you for about three years, and it just surprised me for you to promote G3 as much as you do based off of your teachings and comments on other topics.
19:17: I can't wait to hear your response and or comments. So this is a podcast called
19:22: The Backwoods Baptist. I've never listened to it before, but, you know, it's good.
19:29: Reasonable guy. OK. I didn't catch his name. Harold, I think. Harold, who is the Backwoods Baptist, but the one that Daylen.
19:38: Yeah, Daylen. Daylen suggested you listen to. Yes. So he sent me the link to this. OK. And so so Daryl or Daylen.
19:46: OK, now I'm mixing up names. Daylen and Harold become Daryl. And the last person that I read from was also
19:52: Daryl. Sorry, guys, I'm mixing up all your names. But anyway, Harold, you know, pretty reasonable.
19:59: Some of the things that he says here, I think, would make you nod. OK, so let's listen to a portion of this.
20:05: I'm not going to listen to the whole thing because it's close to half an hour. So I'm just going to pick parts of it here. OK. And here's the criticism that he gives.
20:12: Not about specifically G3, although he does target that one. At one point he says, let's just let's just pick on G3.
20:18: But he also mentioned Shepcon and T4G, which, of course, T4G is not around anymore.
20:24: They just did their last conference last year. Yeah. So Together for the Gospel is done. But but he does mention
20:30: Shepcon and G3. So let's listen to thoughts here. Why would we or wouldn't we go to one of these big major conferences?
20:37: OK. Are there good things about it as Christians? Should we be supporting these things or does it kind of elevate a superstar sort of culture where you have those those star preachers and you have hero worship and things like that?
20:51: So for that reason, should we abstain from going to these big conferences? Let's hear Harold's arguments and we'll respond to that.
20:58: All right. The reason these guys are brought in is because their names are recognizable and they're popular and they draw a crowd.
21:07: But here's what I've discovered when you bring in popular names and you bring in nationally known names and you do it to bring in a crowd, the crowd that you attract often, not always and not everyone.
21:21: You can't paint with a broad brush, but you can definitely shoot a shotgun pattern. There's going to be a lot of truth in this.
21:28: It's going to spread out. People are not coming to hear the gospel preached. They're not coming to be encouraged.
21:33: They're coming to say, I heard Paul Washer preach or I met Stephen Lawson. And this is not a strike at Lawson or Washer or any whoever the speaker is.
21:43: It's just simply you're going to attract fanboys. You're going to attract people who want to go to a meeting to get their picture taken with that preacher.
21:55: Get on Facebook after any conference, look at the people that attended, look at people who got their picture taken with John MacArthur, they waited in line to get their picture taken with Votie Bockham.
22:06: They waited in line to get their picture taken with fill in the blank of who you think your favorite preacher is.
22:13: When you bring in a big name, you are bringing in a crowd who's seeking to hear from a certain person because they hold him in high esteem.
22:22: OK, let's stop there. We'll consider that argument and we'll kind of go on to the next one. So we've got we've got this celebrity culture kind of mentality or concept.
22:31: You got these big names that come in. Mm hmm. You got people that want to be seen with the big names.
22:37: They want to get their pictures taken with the big names and things like that. I mean, sure, I see that on Facebook, treating them like celebrities.
22:45: Yeah. OK, and that's true. You know, I've seen we where we had our booth one year.
22:50: We were right next to Steve Lawson. Mm hmm. So he's he's right there attracting all kinds of folks, which we were great with.
22:57: Yeah, because that brings them over to our table. Yeah. As they're waiting on his table. Yeah, right. But, you know, he's selling his books and it's part of his invitation of being able to come in and speak at G3.
23:08: They also give him a table for his one passion ministry to be able to spread out their brochures or sell a book or something like that.
23:16: Yeah. So then he'll come over to his table when he's done speaking and people are there shaking hands, getting to talk to people.
23:22: I don't I don't really see why that's wrong. And I don't see how that is instantly hero worship.
23:30: Because Lawson's writing books that a lot of people are using, your own pastor is probably using, helping with preaching and sermon prep and different things like that.
23:41: People like his books, they'll read his history books, so on and so forth. And so it's it's like meeting an author.
23:47: Yeah. Which is neat to be able to do. I've enjoyed that. I mean, I grew up in a celebrity culture.
23:54: Yeah, you did. Where? Because I grew up backstage while I was in Christian radio and stuff like that.
23:59: And so I was rubbing shoulders with all these guys. Yeah. Michael W. Smith, Stephen Curtis Chapman. My dad was friends with Keith Green.
24:05: Right. Rich Mullins, who loved my mom's seven layer salad. Yeah. You know, these guys, I grew up backstage with them.
24:13: And so I got used to just they're just normal people to me. Right. You know, it was still neat to see some of the guys that I enjoyed listening to on my
24:23: CDs the most. Well, CDs, when I got into middle school, it was cassette tapes and records before that.
24:31: But anyway, you know, it was always neat to see those guys. But since I was around them so much, they were just normal people to me.
24:38: And anyway, I was I was about to jump into stories. I won't do that. You're going to refrain.
24:44: I'll refrain from what do they call that when you're just kind of, oh, you're name dropping. Yeah, sure. But I mean, it
24:51: I guess it all depends on your heart. Right. See, that's going to be upon the person. Yeah.
24:57: Like what's and he says, you know, we can't paint with a broad brush. We can't get everybody. Very true.
25:03: So he's being generous. That's going to be on each individual person to examine their own heart. Yo, yeah, for sure.
25:10: I like going there and meeting people that I have talked with on on Twitter and Facebook.
25:15: Yes. Well, I can't say Facebook because Facebook's more of a personal like I do know you kind of thing because I.
25:23: You just keep your friends there. Yeah. Yeah. Well, family mostly. Yeah. Right. Anyway, but on on Twitter, it's like anybody and everybody.
25:31: And so I love meeting people that I've I've talked with and I can actually hear their voice and I can see them, you know, like how they mannerisms and stuff like that.
25:40: And it's just I love it. We go to be with our friends. Yes. We go to fellowship.
25:47: Yeah. And it's completely godly reasons to. It's not just being there to meet people and have fun.
25:52: Right. We get to pray together. Yeah. And I get I don't know. It's just it's a lot more personal whenever you move.
26:01: Like I said, I've been chatting with them. I've been praying with them and then that sort of thing. And then, you know, we meet and then it's
26:07: I don't know. It just gives it a whole new level. And we're all there gathering around the gospel.
26:12: So he makes the comment like they're not going for the gospel. I disagree. Yeah. I mean, G3 is is gospel glory grace.
26:21: That's the three G's in the name. So those speakers that they bring to that conference, they are doctrinally sound.
26:31: And as a line and as alike on these things, as you can get these guys to be. Right. OK.
26:36: We're there for the gospel. That's that's the thing that we have in common. That's what you're going to hear in every single sermon.
26:43: That's what you're going to hear in the music that is sung. It's all gathering around the gospel. So the common love that we have for our
26:50: Lord Jesus Christ brings us there and we fellowship with one another. Yeah.
26:55: People that we don't regularly see or meet anywhere else in the world except at G3.
27:01: Yeah. And which was why when they went to doing every other year, it was so disappointing. I was like, now
27:06: I got to wait two years to see my friends. I know. Are you kidding me? I mean, if we were to drive around the country to see everybody in the
27:14: United States alone, the lower 48, if you will, it would we wouldn't be able to everybody.
27:21: Yeah. It would cost so much money just to go to see everybody. Yeah. And cost is going to be one of these things that he's going to mention here in just a moment.
27:28: Just think how much money you're spending when you're going to these things. Well, so what? How much money do you spend going to Disney World? Right. I'd rather go to G3.
27:34: Yeah. But yeah, we're we're there gathering around the gospel where they're fellowshipping in Jesus name.
27:42: And guess what? There's booths all over the place. You can do some Christian shopping while you're there. Yes. I love it.
27:48: And connect with different ministries and see what they're doing in an environment and in a capacity that you probably are not getting through, you know, even weeding through social media, finding all those things.
28:00: Yeah. And speaking of that, like they have so many missionary booths that you can find out what they're doing and where they're going and how to pray for them in that.
28:09: Because, I mean, like you were saying, everything gets lost in social media if you're not in tune with that specific person or that specific organization.
28:19: So I really find it enlightening and beneficial. And just to glorify
28:25: God altogether. Right. It's just awesome. I go home thinking that I have been with family.
28:33: Absolutely. Yeah. So. And when you hear you hear my voice going going up as I'm talking about this,
28:38: I'm not mad at this guy. No, no, no, no. I'm excited. Yes. All right. I love G3. Yes.
28:44: G3 is my favorite. Now, I love ShepCon, too, but I like G3 more because my whole family can go. Whereas with the
28:50: Shepherds Conference, that's specifically for pastors. Yeah. So it's mostly men that are there.
28:55: My wife can't go, although I did. I sat with somebody at this most recent ShepCon.
29:01: He said his wife came with him and she was out shopping somewhere. Oh, yeah. So I've tried to convince you to do that with me.
29:08: But you're like, no. Well, because I'm going with the church. I know. So our pastors as the church are going,
29:13: I can't, you know. Yeah, it's good. Maybe I can work that out another time. But now when they had truth matters, we were able to go to that one.
29:21: Yeah, that was awesome. We met people from Australia there. Yeah, that was so cool. That was great.
29:26: That was a lot of fun. Well, anyway, let's continue on to the next part. So then he then he talks about cost.
29:32: And yeah. So here is thoughts. And then we'll respond to that. There's a cost that comes with bringing in well -known popular people, and the fault is not on the person that you brought in.
29:45: It's just the cost of doing business and bringing people in. Well, how do you cover that a cost?
29:53: You either have to have a pretty deep pocket. You have to have some donors. Maybe you have other churches that have contributed to this.
30:00: Maybe you you know, you've got a group of churches that want to pay to bring somebody in. But more often than not, in these conferences that are stacked with popular, well -known speakers that have been flown in from all over the country, there's a cost associated with the conference.
30:17: You pay to attend. You pay a fee to go to the meeting. I've heard people say we have to charge or we couldn't accommodate everybody that comes, so we charge to cut down on the crowd.
30:32: Well, you've brought in big names to draw a crowd, and I guess you've drawn too many, so you charge money.
30:39: Friend, I've got a problem with charging money to hear somebody preach. Maybe I'm old fashioned.
30:46: Maybe I'm a weirdo. Maybe this is where you turn off the podcast. But this is what
30:51: I really want to talk about. If you're charging money to hear people preach, stop for a moment and think about what you're doing.
31:00: Well, this is a ministry. Ministry is not free. Can you fathom? Can you fathom?
31:07: An early church conference, we're going to have Titus and Apollos and the
31:13: Apostle John will be here one night, one night only. The cost of this conference is just for denarii.
31:21: I can't fathom any of these men mentioned in the New Testament. Gaius, we're going to have
31:26: Gaius here. He'll open this up because he's lesser known of the biblical names.
31:31: And then Apollos, the great orator, he'll be here. And then Titus will come in and talk about the church.
31:39: And then John, John's going to bless us in that evening message. You won't want to miss that. All for three denarii.
31:47: These men would slap you silly if you were charging money to hear them preach. You say, well, brother, hell, that's just the time in which we live in.
31:56: We've created this conference culture. It's came out of what we used to have was revivals.
32:03: And one guy traveled around and did this. And we said, no, no, revivals are bad. We shouldn't meet for evangelism.
32:10: We should meet for doctrine and fellowship. And I say, great, but it should be ran through the local church and the local church should cover that.
32:19: And if the local church can't afford that, then maybe they need to get together with a couple other local churches and put it on.
32:27: Well, he just described G3. I mean, it's put on by a local church and it's gotten so big.
32:34: They've got some other churches that have come in and helped them put all this on. This started at Praise Mill Baptist Church in Douglasville, I guess is the name of it.
32:45: So this was Josh Bice and his church, which was just a couple hundred people at the time, I think. And they started doing
32:51: G3 and they hosted it at the church. But it kept getting like two years. Oh, I think it was more than that.
32:57: Was it more than that? I think it was a few more than that. Cause I was watching, I would watch the sermons that they would do online.
33:03: I would catch Voti on there. Yeah. And we have a few friends that went there too, that traveled from Missouri, I think.
33:09: Right. And went to G3 in Georgia before they moved into the arena.
33:15: Right. It was just at the local church at Praise Mill, but then it got so big that they couldn't host it there anymore.
33:21: They had to go to a bigger place. And every year it's gotten bigger and bigger and bigger. Yeah. And they've had to go to bigger arenas, which the biggest one was a year and a half ago, they, we didn't quite go to the
33:31: Mercedes Benz, but it was whatever that conference center was right next to it. And then we've gone back to the old one.
33:37: Now we're back at the Georgia International. Yeah. Just because that was the most accommodating for people.
33:43: Definitely. Easiest to get around. So I appreciate that they've gone back there. The, the, the big one that was downtown, that was just too much.
33:51: And it cost way too much. And you lost your Bible. I lost my Bible. So it has a bad connotation anyway.
33:59: It's got, it left a bad taste in my mouth because I lost my Bible there. Anyway. Um, what was
34:05: I mentioning? Okay. So it's, it started small. It got bigger. Right. There's other churches that have been involved in this.
34:11: Right. And so praise God that he has blessed this ministry to turn into that.
34:16: I agree with the backwoods Baptist that we've got to be careful to avoid that whole celebrity culture and, and even to some degree falling in with what is general, generally perceived as the whole conference culture thing.
34:30: Right. I would agree that by and large, some of these huge conferences, why are people going to those?
34:37: Yeah. But the whole thing about, you know, paying to go and how much are you going to pay? You're going to pay, you know, it makes the comparison to what was going on in the new
34:45: Testament, paying for it in area or something, which was funny. I laughed. I thought that, I thought that was good.
34:51: But the thing about these conferences, G3 and Shepcon, I'm going to single those two out in particular. You can listen to all of that, all of the preaching for free, right?
35:02: You don't have to pay a thing. You don't have to pay to go there. You don't have to pay for the hotel. You don't have to pay for food.
35:08: You can watch it at home. Yep. They broadcast everything live for free.
35:14: Shepcon, you can, my wife can stay here in Texas and watch the same messages that I'm watching, sitting at the
35:22: Shepherds Conference in California. She can watch the live stream online. And if you wait a few days after that, they put all the videos and the audio online and all of the breakout sessions, which
35:35: I love because there's, you know, something like 12 breakout sessions going on at the same time. I can only go to one.
35:41: Right. I want to, I want to hear Jesse Johnson on his talk with Christian nationalism, but I also want to hear
35:47: Mike Riccardi and his presentation on the Trinity. And I want to hear Daryl Harrison talking about critical race theory.
35:54: Right. So which one of these do I go to? Right. I'm going to miss something. Phil Johnson did one too on,
36:00: I haven't gotten to his yet. Something Spurgeon, usually it's Spurgeon related when it's
36:06: Phil. I don't know if that's what he talked about or not. But anyway, then you just wait a few weeks and then they put all of the messages, all the breakout sessions and everything.
36:15: You can go back to all the Shepherds Conferences over a decade ago and be listening to all their messages on there.
36:22: Very true. You can get all of that for free. You don't have to pay for it. Right. Now I agree with Backwoods Baptist about the cost with some of those kinds of things, and I've been critical of those conferences that won't post their stuff for free.
36:37: Oh, yeah, definitely. When we were living in Kansas, there was a, I think it was called
36:43: Small Church Conference. I think that was the name of it. Okay. There was a conference that was held somewhere right in the middle of Kansas for small churches, for small church pastors to go to.
36:52: I was like, well, great, because we're a small church. Yeah. I'm glad they're putting something out there for small churches.
36:58: I'd be interested to know what this conference is about. I looked at the speaker list. None of these people had a clue about small churches.
37:05: Give me a break. Ed Stetzer was hosting, and I think it was. What does he know about small church ministry?
37:13: And then there was the guy that pastors like the most satellite campuses in Kansas, Andy Addis, Crosspoint Church out of Hutchinson.
37:23: He was like the keynote speaker. I'm like, his church is over a thousand people. Yeah. When you count all the campuses.
37:30: And that's not counting all the campuses. Oh, that's not? Yeah. No, that wasn't even counting the campuses. Oh, my goodness.
37:35: I'm like, how are these guys doing this small church conference? I'm like, well, I'm not going to pay to go. I'll just watch it online, because at least
37:42: I want to. What are they talking about? What sort of doctrine are they spouting off and everything? This seems like a money grab to me.
37:49: Oh, yeah, it was because you couldn't watch it online either. You had to pay for the live stream. Oh, my.
37:56: And if I remember right, it was the same cost as the conference, like actually attending it in person. Wow. That's ridiculous, guys.
38:03: That is absolutely silly. And Beth Moore, you can't go watch her conferences online. You have to pay.
38:10: Or you don't get it. When she releases it and it comes out in its multi -part series, you still have to pay to watch all of that, which
38:17: I'm not encouraging you to do that. It's not going to be any good anyway. But I'm just saying, yeah, there are these people out there in that celebrity culture mentality that you have to pay to watch what it is that they're doing.
38:28: I agree with the Backwoods Baptist. I don't think that we should be charging for the gospel. But something like G3 or ShepCon, you've got tons of costs that have to be covered.
38:38: Right. You do want to take care of your speakers. They probably have their speaker fees. You're providing them hotel.
38:43: You're giving them food, things like that. You've got to pay for an arena, which is massive, and you're paying for the arena staff to be there and do all the stuff that they've got to do.
38:52: You're paying for power as well as space. You're paying for parking. You've got the food vendors that'll come in and I don't even know what all the logistical things are regarding all of that.
39:03: Right. You've got the musicians that come in and you're paying them. You've got the person that comes in and sets up sound and you're going to have sound specifically catered to the needs that you have for the conference that you're putting on.
39:14: Right. What's that going to cost? All of these things. The table space for the bookstore.
39:19: Yeah. Bookstore that comes in. And all the extra spots that the bookstore requires.
39:25: Right. For each individual. You probably have insurance that you have to purchase.
39:31: Yeah, for sure. I mean, there's all different kinds of costs that have to be covered there. So G3 is really one of the cheaper ones.
39:37: I think if you get in on the pre -registration, it's like 90 to 119 dollars or something. So if you're registering way early, you get quite a good deal.
39:46: Yeah. If you're waiting late, it's closer to 200 dollars or something like that. Yeah. But you also get some perks.
39:52: You're going to get some free books and some other things. Yeah. And with the booths and stuff that you go to, a lot of them are handing out free
39:58: T -shirts and stuff like that. So there are returns that you get from all of that. Yeah.
40:03: You got to pay for hotel and flight and everything else. However far you're going to end up traveling in order to get there.
40:09: Right. Certainly some costs there. But like I said earlier, I'd rather do that than Disney World. Yeah. As I've heard
40:15: Votie Bauckham say, I heard Votie Bauckham say this when I was working in my workshop doing something wood related, you know, carpentry.
40:24: And I was listening to one of his sermons that he preached at Kwabata Baptist Church in Zambia. And he was talking about going to conferences.
40:33: And he started and he was like, why do we go to conferences, guys? You all know this. You know why we go to conferences.
40:39: For the free stuff. No. No. We go to conferences to see our friends. That was my next one.
40:47: I mean, there's surely going to be big name speakers there that kind of attract you to that particular conference.
40:52: A lot of those guys I don't hear. I listen to them when I get home, you know, because we're meeting people or we've got the booth or something like that.
41:02: But and then I mentioned Shepcon, you know, sometimes I'll miss. I thought you were talking about Votie still saying this. No, no, no, no, no.
41:08: OK. Well, there are people that he'll miss, too. And pretty much for the same reason. Yeah. You know. Now with Shepard's Conference, that one's really expensive.
41:16: Yeah. Shepard's Conference is pricey, not just to get into the conference. But then, I mean, paying for anything in California.
41:22: I was going to say it's California is expensive. But you get so much of that back.
41:29: Very, very true. The cost of going to the conference covers all your food except for supper when you're eating at the food trucks and stuff like that.
41:36: Right. But your breakfast and lunch are covered snacks all day long. I was going to say and the snacks.
41:42: I gain weight when I go to Shepcon. Yes, you do. And then there's.
41:47: You can eat till your heart's content and then some more and they would still have more food. You get more than 100 bucks in free books, easily more than 100 bucks is probably closer to 200 dollars in free books.
41:59: Yeah. And then they've got, you know, other special kinds of things that they're going to give you that you didn't know you were going to get when you got there.
42:05: So like vouchers. So you can go shop in the store and it's it's like 60 bucks in vouchers or something like that.
42:12: Wow. If you wanted, you could do all your extra shopping there and never spend any of your own money. True. You're just paying the cost of the conference and then hotel and flight and everything.
42:20: That's supper and supper. Yeah. When you want to eat out of the food trucks or just plan that outright and you've gathered enough snack food.
42:27: There you go. That's what I'm saying. I did that once, you know, kind of strategic what
42:34: I was gathering. I don't have to eat at the food trucks now at night and stand in another long line, you know.
42:40: And then there's that year that they gave away the preacher's Bible. Oh, yeah. That was awesome.
42:46: It's like a two hundred and fifty dollar Bible. Yeah. And everybody got one. And that's your ticket.
42:52: That was pretty much it. That was the cost to get into the thing. So anyway, there's stuff like that.
42:57: You know, you end up making that back. Now, every one of the conferences that I've gone to, whether it's
43:03: Shepard's Conference or G3, I think with the exception of the very first G3 conference we went to, that might be the exception.
43:10: But every other one, somebody has covered something for us. Oh, yeah, for sure. We've had somebody just very generous who has either said, we want to cover your hotel or we're going to cover, you know, we want to take you out to eat or we want to help cover your booth cost or something like that.
43:28: Somebody generously has always provided for us. So that's helpful. That helps us be able to get there.
43:34: Yeah. And they've even. Praise the Lord for that. Yeah, right. G3 even has scholarship programs. So if you've got trouble covering the costs, you can talk to G3 and they'll probably help you out with some of those kinds of things.
43:45: Yeah. But yeah, like I said, the the cost has to be there. You have to pay.
43:51: I mean, that's not unreasonable. Right. And it also, you know, one of the other things with cost is it commits you to it.
43:58: So, so, you know, if you pay it, you're going to go because, hey, I paid for this. I want to get my six.
44:04: Yeah, right. Right. Well, it's going to keep you from going. So if you pay for it, you're going to go.
44:09: And yeah, you know, Backwoods Baptist even made the comment about it also limits the amount of people there because you have to cut it off at some point if people are just coming and attending, but you don't have some sort of paid reservation.
44:22: Right. How are you guaranteed that you're even going to be able to get in? So the cost guarantees
44:27: I paid for my spot. I'm going to be able to get in there. And I want to I want to be there.
44:32: Yeah. You know, I enjoy this. When he was talking earlier about like standing in line waiting to get somebody's picture taken.
44:40: I remember I remember something I wanted to mention there. I forgot about it was the second G3 that we attended and our booth.
44:49: The booth that we got was like back in the furthest corner that we could possibly have been.
44:54: It was we were way out there, like in Timbuktu. It was hilarious. No, we loved it, though.
45:00: I mean, we got out there. We're like, oh, this is great. You know, people can stand over here. And yeah, we had like the whole corner.
45:06: We did. And we weren't in anybody's way. So it was wonderful. And and people from other booths, like when speakers were talking, and they would come over to ours because we had that empty space next to us.
45:15: So we just set up some chairs and camp out there. Yeah, I remember that was one of the I think that was the first conference where I met
45:22: Tom Buck. And he got busy and was eating his lunch. And he said, hey, can
45:28: I just sit at your booth and eat my lunch? Little did we know a friendship was developing from all of that, you know.
45:36: So anyway, there was one of the times that the sessions had ended and people were coming by and talking to us and a line had formed.
45:44: And we're coming to shake our hands and say, hey, we love when we understand the text. And we had some books that we were selling and things like that.
45:51: I look down the line and Phil Johnson is standing there. I'm like,
45:57: Phil Johnson is standing in my line. And he stood there and waited and he, you know, waited his turn.
46:04: People came through and he stuck out his hand and said, Gabe Hughes, Phil Johnson. I'm like, yeah, I know who you are.
46:11: He just wanted to say he appreciated the videos and he loved the work that we were doing and wanted to encourage us.
46:18: Phil Johnson stayed. It's a sweet guy. Sweet guy. This is the guy like, like, according to what
46:24: Backwoods Baptist is saying, he should be standing at his own booth and everybody standing in line to meet Phil.
46:29: True. But Phil's coming to us. Yeah. And he's waiting in line to meet us. And we're not celebrities.
46:34: You know, I'm not I'm not saying that to say, hey, we we had our own sort of fan club there. You know, we don't feel that way at all.
46:41: No, it's neat to be able to meet people. Generally, we get stuck next to somebody who's more popular than us.
46:47: So. So two years ago, it was James White. Everybody's gathering at James White's table.
46:54: I'm just standing there, you know, like James White's line over there. But we got to I mean, every year we have introduced the podcast to somebody multiple, not just somebody, but like multiple people.
47:07: Right. Who have not even heard of us before and can take this your YouTube home and help just.
47:15: Yeah, they'll watch it into the word. Yeah. They'll watch the videos while they're there. Yeah. And then they'll like come back the next day.
47:22: Hey, I watched some of your videos. I love it. I thought it was great. And we always see an increase in our listenership on the podcast after G3.
47:30: It always spikes. So so they they heard who we were and the kind of ministry that we do.
47:37: And then they listen to podcasts on the way home. And we gained a few listeners from that. Yeah. So the
47:42: Lord. Yeah. That's another thing that that makes it so great, at least for us, you know, speaking for us. Yeah. But we've got friends that were part of our church in Kansas that moved to other places in the country.
47:53: Oh, yeah. That's the best part. They still come to G3 and we get to see them again there. Yes. It's just fellowship together.
47:59: Absolutely. And we go out to eat and other things. It's great that we've got a central location that we can come back to.
48:05: And it's all for the gospel. Right. It's because the gospel is being proclaimed there and they get fed.
48:11: They listen to the speakers. They love it. Yeah. They feel energized. They go home with all of that. And I mean, really, it
48:18: I think my first time at a conference, I didn't know what to expect. But I I left there thinking that it was more real that, yes, you know, the church is everywhere.
48:32: There's people of the church everywhere. Right. There's Christians everywhere. Yeah. No matter where we go. Jesus talks about that in Mark 10, where you will gain land and brothers and sisters and fathers and mothers.
48:44: Yeah. And that's that's what we're experiencing when you can go anywhere and find brothers and sisters in the gospel there.
48:51: Right. Because because I mean, there's people from all over that go there and it gives like the realization that there are literally people.
49:00: There's Christians everywhere. It's just it's more I don't know. It's it goes from reading it in a book to actually like experiencing it.
49:09: Yeah. Does that make sense? Right. OK, because I feel like I'm clear as mud here. And, you know, with things with things like this, too, you've also got
49:17: Baptists there, Presbyterians there. Oh, yeah. Lutherans come. Yeah.
49:22: You know, so you've it's multi denominational, whereas you take what Backwoods Baptist is talking about.
49:28: If you just do something in the local church, what are you going to end up with? Yeah. You're going to end up with people that match the sign that's on the door out front.
49:36: Right. It's all going to be the same denomination. It's more difficult to get over those denominational hurdles.
49:43: Now, having said all of that, though, there are some problems with celebrity culture, with conference culture.
49:50: Oh, yeah. There are some dangerous things going on in that even within reformed Christian circles, things that we do have to be careful about.
49:58: Yeah. And I know Josh and Virgil and Laramie and Scott and all those guys that work at G3.
50:05: I know what they're thinking about, what they're thinking through and, you know, making sure that we're keeping this
50:10: Christ focused. Yeah. And not letting not getting ahead of ourselves, not getting too big for our britches, not turning it into a big celebrity thing.
50:18: They do think through those logistical things as they're planning something like G3. And part of the reason why
50:25: G3 in particular I'm so attracted to is because I know the guys that are behind the scenes that are putting all of this together and the heart that is behind it.
50:34: And that's one of the things that keeps me back to it and not just going to it, not just becoming an attendee, but even a promoter of it.
50:41: Right. Because I don't have any hesitation to tell you if you want to if you have the money to spend and you want to go to something like this, it's you're not going to be wasting your money.
50:52: Right. And I can do that with a clear conscience and not feel like I'm, you know, telling you to do something that you're going to get to the end of and go, boy, that was a waste of time.
51:01: Right. And I didn't experience Christ there at all. I don't think that's going to be what you're going to go home with.
51:06: Right. When you've been to G3 and Backwoods Baptist, we're going to cut it off there. I'm not going to keep going.
51:12: But he does. He makes a comment later about how he's never attended any of these. Right. So he's never gone to Sheb Khan, never gone to G3.
51:19: I appreciate the the cautions that he issues, but he's still saying certain things in ignorance.
51:26: Right. I was thinking you got to experience at least one to compare it to. Right. And then you can say,
51:32: I went to one. And, you know, you don't have to go to multiple, but just just one to have that very strong opinion.
51:40: Yeah. Still. Yeah. And one of the one of the things if I could talk to him, one of the things
51:45: I would caution him on is don't be passing judgment on these things because you saw pictures on Facebook.
51:51: Right. So if you saw somebody run into Voti and got a picture with Voti and now you've seen five different people post pictures with Voti on Facebook and suddenly you're starting to develop this thing in your mind, oh, this is just celebrity culture.
52:03: Don't do that. Yeah. I mean, when we've passed by preachers who are in deep conversation, they're they're usually talking about something that's been
52:15: I mean, there's people in tears that are. Oh, yeah. Right. They talk about serious stuff. I've said preachers.
52:20: Yeah. I've seen these guys stop and pray with folks. Yes. All the time. Yeah. Pray with them. Right. Yes. So it's not like it's just,
52:29: OK, take a selfie. All right. Next person, take a selfie, sign a book, you know, whatever. It's it's serious conversations as well.
52:36: It's very edifying. Yeah. It's very glorifying. And praise the Lord for it.
52:42: And I know that added said he lives in the Atlanta area. Right. And he said that there's no advertisements for it on the radio or on the
52:52: TV or anything. So they're not even paying for that kind of ad. They don't even pay for the advertisement around the
52:58: Atlanta area. And my dad was involved in advertising. He worked for Christian Radio. He was he worked for a crisis pregnancy center.
53:07: And he did advertising was kind of over the advertising arm of the crisis pregnancy center so that people knew it was there could come there and get counseling or whatever they needed.
53:16: And and he said, I've never seen a single flyer for G3. Right. Like nothing that would that that puts it in front of my face and lets me know it says it's here.
53:26: Yeah. And yet you come to the arena and there's 10 ,000 people here. Yeah. How did they all know about it and how did they get here?
53:31: Yeah. And he works at a at a place called Christian City now, which is like a retirement community.
53:37: And he's wanting to do a booth at G3 to raise. Yeah. He wants to raise awareness for.
53:43: Did you know that we're here? We're right here in Atlanta. And it's an awesome place. Yeah. Oh, man. I've listened to him talk about it.
53:50: It's just so cool sounding. Yeah. I'd like to go visit, honestly. Right. Yeah. Yeah.
53:55: He's got a few more years. He's going to be working for him and then he's going to become a resident. He plans on it. That's right.
54:01: That's where I'm going to end up living. I love it. In First Thessalonians, chapter three, beginning in Rome.
54:08: Let me start reading here in verse nine. Paul says, For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our
54:17: God because of you as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face and may complete what is lacking in your faith.
54:27: Now, may our God and father himself and Jesus, our Lord, direct our way to you.
54:33: And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you so that he may strengthen your hearts blameless in holiness before our
54:46: God and father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all of his saints. Now, I am a
54:54: I'm a local church guy and I love small church because that's where I've spent most of my time in ministry.
55:00: First Baptist Church of Lindale. That's the largest church I would ever be a part of. Yeah. You know, if God willing, he were to give me a church to be senior pastor of again sometime in the future,
55:11: I'd probably go smaller than, you know, where we are right now. I don't I don't see myself being a pastor of a thousand or two thousand person church or something like that church
55:20: I've ever been in. Yeah. Yeah. Right. Largest church I've ever been a part of. And so I love amazing.
55:26: I love the local church. I love our involvement at this church. And I have a heart and a passion for small church.
55:33: So I made the comment earlier about, you know, if you do a conference like this at your own church, you're not really getting a lot of denominations and usually the people that you get in their convictions match the sign that's on the door.
55:44: Right. I don't mean to to diminish the importance of the local church, though.
55:51: No, definitely not. I think you should have conferences there, too. Right. And even well,
55:56: I mean, not even that. What's most important is you're going to church on Sunday. Oh, amen. That's what's most important.
56:02: That's very, very true. Yeah. And your support of your church is more important than paying the money to go to something like G3.
56:10: Very true. Give to your church tithes and offerings. First and foremost. That's that's where that goes first.
56:16: Offerings. You know, yeah, you can watch our video on tides to get what we talk about there. But yeah, specifically with supporting your local church, you're going to give your money there, as Paul instructs.
56:26: Second Corinthians chapters eight and nine, not out of reluctance or under compulsion. But the
56:31: Lord loves a cheerful giver. And then if you've got money to spend, it's in your budget as a family. You want to go do some sort of vacation thing.
56:39: Maybe you want to go to the Creation Museum. Yeah. The ark exhibit. Or you want to go to something like G3. Then do that budget for it and go.
56:47: Yeah. And I promise you'll come away from that with a great experience. Amen. You'll have loved being a part of that.
56:53: And you'll come away from that. No. Knowing that the gospel was proclaimed. I don't think you walk away from G3 going, boy, that was just a big celebrity culture hodgepodge.
57:03: No, definitely not. I really don't. But if you do attend, I haven't heard of that yet. Honestly, if you do attend and that is your impression, email me and tell me no
57:14: Gabe, you were wrong and I won't give you your money back, but you can at least rub it in.
57:23: You can at least tell me, you know, you told me that this wasn't gonna be my experience, but it was or something, you know, whatever.
57:29: Sure. I'll take it. I'll take the criticism if that's the route you want to go. I had like a bunch of other questions
57:35: I wanted to get here. I wanted to get to here. This next one is, let's see, it's about, oh, developing a solid teaching ministry at our local church.
57:43: Let me get to that one. Let me go ahead and mention that one. OK. And then there's another one. Oh, coming back to the the head coverings issue.
57:51: Oh, uh -huh. Because I guess there was question about something I just didn't say clearly.
57:57: I didn't clarify. And it sounds to me by the question that it was something that I said was in the blog.
58:04: There was an article that I wrote, which I was going to attach to the podcast. So I didn't expound on it. I just said, go read the article.
58:10: OK. So the questions I got more than one. The questions that I got following that episode last week made me realize,
58:17: OK, maybe we should get into that article. Sure. And explain those things a little bit more. So I'm going to do that next week.
58:23: We won't do that this week because that could be another half hour. True. Let's let me do this one.
58:28: This is from Chris. He says, Hello, Pastor Gabe. Thank you, first of all, for your faithful ministry to the
58:33: Lord Jesus Christ. I've only been listening to your podcast for a couple of years. But during that time, your teaching and preaching has blessed me immensely.
58:41: I sure appreciate that, Chris. Thank you. My question has to do with developing a solid teaching ministry for our local church.
58:48: I work very closely with our senior pastor. In fact, he's been a close friend and mentor for nearly 10 years now.
58:55: Lately, we've been discussing ways to build a more robust teaching ministry. What we have now is, frankly, struggling.
59:03: I've heard you mention the expository workshop several times. I've looked for more information about those, but I can't seem to find it.
59:10: Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place. I think something like that would be great for our small pool of teachers to attend.
59:16: If there are any other resources that you would recommend that could help us equip our teachers to rightly handle God's word or lay a solid ministry foundation,
59:24: I would greatly appreciate it. So there is there's one going on right now. In fact, as we speak, the latest expository workshop is in Wisconsin right now.
59:36: So, yeah, you missed that one. Yeah. I don't know where you're writing to me from, Chris, but that one's going on right now.
59:41: The next one, there's a couple of them that are coming up in the summer. One of them is going to be in Scotland. But you have to go to you have to go to the
59:50: G3 website to find it. It's G3MIN .org. And on the page, there's going to be something like events.
59:56: It's a card that says events. Just click on that and it'll show you something will be expository workshops as a category.
01:00:04: It will say that. So click on that and it'll show you all the expository workshops that we've got coming up.
01:00:09: And you can register from that same link as well. Now, as I talked earlier about conferences broadcasting what they do and putting that stuff online so that you can see it, we can't do that with the expository workshop.
01:00:25: And if you've ever attended a workshop, you would understand why you would understand why we can't record it.
01:00:31: We can't broadcast it online. Yeah, it has to be an in -person teaching experience. That's the way that the workshop is built.
01:00:39: So look for those things. If you can attend one of those in person, that would be great. You brought something up on your phone.
01:00:45: What are you looking at? Yeah, I went to G3MIN .org and then on my phone and then up in the right corner, it has the little dot, dot, dot.
01:00:56: So I clicked on that. Yeah, the three dashes sort of thing up there. Yeah. And then it says a workshop and then it says events and it gives
01:01:05: Junction City May 23rd to 24. Yeah. So that's the that's the worship workshop.
01:01:11: OK. So that's not an expository teaching workshop, but it does say worship. Yeah. It still helps you build a good worship theology for your church.
01:01:21: OK. And then there's one of those actually in Jacksonville, Texas, on July at the end of July.
01:01:29: That's the worship workshop, too, though. Right. Yeah. So where do I find? Yeah, the expository preaching workshop should be on there.
01:01:38: It could be that those things are still in development right now and they're not taking registrations yet. Probably.
01:01:43: So that's probably why it's not listed. That could be. But just come back to that regularly so that you can find them there.
01:01:49: Yeah. OK. That's where you'll find them listed. Now, as for something like what's some other materials that you can grab because maybe you can't find an expository workshop nearby to attend.
01:02:00: So where can you get some materials that would be useful for you maybe to help build up your teaching? Because it sounds like you're talking mainly about like Sunday school classes and things like that is what
01:02:09: I would think. Yeah, that's what I gathered. Let me recommend this to you. I don't want to throw a whole lot of resources at you, but but consider, first of all,
01:02:16: Ligonier. So go to Ligonier .org and and subscribe to Table Talk.
01:02:22: Yes. Grab some Table Talk magazines. They're awesome. Look through those now. Now they're built to kind of be more devotional, like family devotional.
01:02:31: But see if there isn't something there that you find in those devotionals that could be helpful for you. Sometimes they'll have those articles and things like that could be helpful in in helping to understand how to build, you know, a good teaching regimen at your church.
01:02:44: Another one that I would recommend. There is a journal, so to speak. It's a devotional guide, and I think it's a month long.
01:02:52: That's put out by Baptist Missionary Association Theological Seminary. That's a long name for a seminary.
01:02:58: That is a very long name. We refer to it affectionately as BMATS. Yes. BMATS. So go to BMATS .edu.
01:03:07: You're going to have to contact somebody because I had to do the same thing. I can't remember where it's at on the website where you can go and like ask for their
01:03:14: Bible study materials. But they put together a small journal. So there's one that's like a what would you say that is five by eight inches or something like that, you know, like yay big.
01:03:25: Okay. It's a small journal that you can buy several copies of. Everybody in your class can have one of those.
01:03:31: And then there's a teacher's guide that's magazine size. So they put those out and they're going through books of the
01:03:38: Bible. First and Second Peter, I think were the two that they did most recent. I had contacted them last year because we're going through First Corinthians at our church.
01:03:45: And I was hoping they had done one on First Corinthians. Yeah. But they hadn't yet. So I had to make my own.
01:03:53: That's been a lot of work. Let me tell you, BMATS, I wish you had one on First Corinthians. But anyway, check them out.
01:03:59: BMATS .edu, B -M -A -T -S dot edu. Contact somebody at the seminary.
01:04:06: Ask them if they would send you the guide. You can get like a sample version at first to see if you like it.
01:04:11: Yeah. And if you think that would be helpful for you in using teaching guides at your church, then order more.
01:04:19: Yeah. But that can at least get you started. So there's my recommendation to kind of get things moving a little bit for you.
01:04:27: Yeah. All I can think of is Michelle Leslie's website. She does a whole bunch of the
01:04:32: Bible books or the books of the Bible and and study like how to study.
01:04:38: Oh, yeah. Sure. Right. And then it trains you how to study on your own. Yes. Like that's what it works you out and works you out to be.
01:04:45: Now there's there's all kinds of websites. Well, we're at the very end. Yeah. My word.
01:04:50: So you're usually falling asleep at this point. Anyway, you're doing great.
01:04:55: You're great, though, babe. I can still seem to be perky and awake here. It was that squirrely Joes. Well, we haven't got it.
01:05:03: Yeah. Just the thought of it since it hadn't arrived yet. Yeah. There's multiple guides that I use online.
01:05:09: I go to various different things when I'm preparing lessons. And I have lots of different resources that I'm using.
01:05:16: Yeah. So to tell you what all that I use. I mean, it's kind of all over the place. It's stuff that over the years that I've collected.
01:05:22: Yeah. And I know that they're they're quick go tos. I can go to it. It's all right there. And I don't have to hunt long for it.
01:05:30: Every once in a while, somebody's trying to push the the logo software on me. Oh, yeah.
01:05:36: I'm just like, yeah, no. I've got a system that works for me and nobody's complaining about it.
01:05:41: Like nobody's telling me, well, you're teaching really could use more of this. Right. I don't feel like I'm lacking in anything.
01:05:47: Yeah. That I would have to go get the logo software if it works for you. Great. There's what's the one that James White uses?
01:05:53: It's called. Oh, it starts with an A. I can see it, but I can't remember.
01:06:01: Somebody's going to write in now and we're going to get like 10 emails about it because I can't remember what it's called.
01:06:06: Anyway, there's another one. It's cheaper than logos. That one might even be free if I remember right. Here you go.
01:06:13: It's Accordance. Accordance. Yeah, that sounds about right. I think that's what it is. So look up Accordance.
01:06:18: Yeah. If you can't afford logos, you don't even have the memory space for logos. Like I can't put logos on my computer.
01:06:25: Oh, really? I've got no room for it. Oh, I'm almost out of space because of all the what videos and podcasts.
01:06:31: Yeah, that's true. I need to just start backing up the podcast on on an external drive.
01:06:37: You do. And then not have them on the computer anymore. Yeah, because we've you've crashed a couple.
01:06:42: Oh, yeah. But I've got them scattered on other laptops. You do. It's not like they're all just right here. I'm just saying
01:06:48: I need to get them off the computer entirely. Yeah. And just have them on an external drive.
01:06:53: Yeah. Anyway, now and now we're talking about stuff that isn't even related to the podcast anymore.
01:06:58: Rabbitry. So I hope that's helpful for you. Something to get you started, at least, Chris. Folks, we thank you so much for listening to the broadcast today.
01:07:05: If you have any questions, send them to us at when we understand the text at Gmail dot com. We'll revisit the head coverings issue next week.
01:07:13: Yeah. God willing. And then also I have a question about hang on. What was this last one here?
01:07:18: This has to do with believers authority. We're responding to a question about believers authority next week, too.
01:07:25: All right. Don't have any idea what that is. Nope. We got to come back to find out. All right.
01:07:32: And then any other questions we can add in there to send them to us. All right. Let's pray. Yes. Heavenly Father, we thank you for this time that we have together.
01:07:40: Thank you for your word that grows us and edifies us. It is through the word of Christ that we have come to faith.
01:07:48: Romans 10, 17. Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ. And it is this word that is sanctifying us and growing us in Christ likeness as well.
01:07:57: John 17, 17, where Jesus prayed, sanctify them in your truth. Your word is truth.
01:08:04: So grow us in these things. Help us to live according to this, that we not only have the mind of Christ, but we live according to Christ and grow in us a desire and a longing for you and your holiness and for your kingdom, that we would come into your kingdom.
01:08:23: We're not attached to things that are on this earth, but we desire to be in the kingdom of our Lord Christ.
01:08:29: And even more than this, we want the kingdom to grow. We want to see it expand. We want the lost to hear the gospel and repent and be saved.
01:08:37: Give us courage and boldness in these days to proclaim these things. As we read in Psalm 71 at the very beginning.
01:08:44: Let me never be ashamed in your righteousness. Deliver me and protect me.
01:08:49: Incline your ear to me and save me. We ask these things in Jesus name.
01:08:55: Amen. Amen. And do
01:09:05: I echo more? Am I sitting different, seated, different, seated, seated, different there?
01:09:14: No, still still echoes. OK, you're probably not close enough to it. It could be picking up my echo instead of my voice.
01:09:22: This is when we understand the text, a daily Bible commentary in the word of Christ to encourage your time with the
01:09:28: Lord. Tell your friends about our ministry at W .W .U .T .T. Dotcom.
01:09:33: Here once again is Pastor Gabe. Thanks, Bex. You're welcome. This is
01:09:41: Creek. Good. This is when we understand the text, a daily
01:09:50: Bible commentary in the word of Christ to encourage your time with the Lord, with the Lord.
01:09:55: My tongue got a little fat there. Tongue got fat.
01:10:02: Got stuck. My fatty deposits around my tongue got filled up.
01:10:10: I'm here, bro. Now all I hear is, this is the other side of the path.
01:10:19: Oh, Gary, make you cough, man. All right. Now I got the giggles.