Luke Abendroth and Westminster Seminary Escondido  

Opening Banter and Family Catch-Up

Welcome to No Compromise Radio Ministry. My name is Mike Ebendroth and today we're going to have kind of a first. Luke Ebendroth has been on the show many times, but the first is he's driving back from seminary to go who knows where and I thought instead of me just talking to Luke on the phone I would let you all eavesdrop and listen to Mike Ebendroth talk to Luke Ebendroth.

How's that sound Luke?

Sounds great. You have to have low expectations. It needs to be low expectations because I didn't know it was gonna be on the radio.

That's right. But when I asked you to do some shows when you were here in person. You were busy and you know, you've got a wife and all that other stuff. A baby on the way. Are you excited about the new baby?

Of course.

You don't have to tell us names or anything, but do you have names figured out for the male if it's male or female.

Well, yeah, we're gonna we'll figure it out. We don't know exactly. Yeah, I like the Really strong Old Testament names that you scream that your parents are some kind of like old-school parents. Oh. Those are the names I like.

Well.

I you know There's two Noah's in the Bible a male Noah that we all know about with the flood and a female Noah and that female Noah I believe had a sister named Huggla. So he could always pick Huggla if you needed to Mr. Nocoat jr.

Westminster Seminary Escondido and the First Semester

Tell us a little bit about Westminster Seminary Escondido. You just finished your first semester back in December now. You're starting up probably your second semester. Tell us a little bit about some of the highlights of West Cal.

Yeah, well, I think we probably talked about it on the radio show before although I haven't we haven't done one in a while but I finally started at Westminster. And so I finished my first semester and I took besides Language classes and stuff.

I had my first class with Michael Horton Intro to theology and apologetics and then a class with dr. R. Scott Clark who's been on the show many times Ancient church, so those are probably the two highlights.

I like the languages and stuff as well, but I think those are my two favorite classes just talking about church history stuff with Dr. Clark and and then intro to theology with with Mike Horton. So those were super fun.

I like those guys, you know, I've listened to them for a long time so it's fun to be able to Raise my hand in class and ask questions or go up to them after and get some clarification on something. So it's great great being class and really it's not too far from where I live.

So it's been it's been awesome.

Luke, I'm sure you learn things. But sometimes if you've been taught at home and you study on your own and you've been in ministry for a while. You're not 20 years old. Did you learn anything that was just kind of mind-blowing that was new or this kind of just a refinement of what you know theologically.

Well, you know, I think I didn't really know anything about ancient church stuff. So it's kind of I mean, I know the names I know your RNA is supposed to be good Ignatius or something, you know. But I have no idea who these people are.

How they contributed or how to plot them out on a timeline or who was interacting with who? So I think although I knew some. That was probably the most enlightening was dr. Karsh class of just having to read primary sources of some of those guys really looking at what they were responding to and just going back to those sources, so I think that my conception of the early church the class was from the Ascension to 8500 that is.

Although I have a lot to learn still much clearer I think that was probably the biggest thing just learning who these people are who are all the players. What are the controversies? You know, what? What are the real issues of those times?

So that's been helpful and then you through that you learn stuff like Christology and although, you know Hopefully I wasn't a heretic before but just sharpening issues of you know, oh Homo see osmosis.

Oh boy was yasin and all those things. So yeah, it was fun that was probably the biggest thing that I learned and I like Horton's class is just little nuggets of things and.

Are you there?

Well while you go through the dead zone, I'll talk a little bit as well. I I know you were encouraged by Dr. Clark's class and I I think you told me that he's he's kind of new school teacher. He's the one who says regularly You need a different grade just plead your grade.

Okay, I've. Luke has dropped me. So I've got to get Luke. We're gonna pause right now. Okay, I have Luke back. I just said Luke while I was buying time because I thought you were in a dead zone. I said that dr. Clark.

He's really kind of new school teacher, you know, if you don't get your homework done on time That's fine. You can always appeal for a better grade at the end of the class and and tell them that there are reasons why you didn't Get the work done.

How do you think of Clark's strategy now as new philosophy as a new school teacher?

You know explore. Things like that. That probably be more his. His next maybe that'll be his next move after teaching at West Cal.

Hebrew, Greek, and Westminster's Language Program

Well, I lost you for a little bit there. But we're just gonna plow through because this is just like real radio raw everything else. Tell me a little bit about Your Hebrew class. I know you had some Hebrew when you studied in Israel.

How's that coming along? Are you able to. What are you doing. Starting to read the book of Jonah in Hebrew? How does that work?

Well, so the way that the program is designed at Westminster and sorry, I'm driving through some kind of like country area so sorry if you losing me, but the way that they do it at Westminster is you take four semesters of each language and then Hebrew one through four Greek one through four and then you actually Don't start any of your New Testament or Old Testament classes until you're done with Hebrew and done with Greek so that way all of the study of a book of the Bible or the Pauline epistles or Something in the Old Testament is actually in the original language.

So I have a lot a lot of Years left of Hebrew and Greek, but just started my second semester of Hebrew in the winter room With Dr. Teal or professor Teal who wrote that book sacred bond that I know you've recommended before so really enjoying it.

I like his little biblical theology nuggets in between class in between, you know vocab words in Hebrew and yeah, it's been fun.

Prayer Groups, Professors, and Campus Culture

So Luke tell us a little bit about the culture there on campus. I think you're. Are you assigned or is it? Volunteer that you can have some prayer partners as it were to pray with some of the professors on a regular basis.

How does that work?

Yeah, so they assign you to Prayer group where you have one of your professors and they'll just take prayer requests. You all pray together with some of the other students two months a week. I forget which day it is I should know I think it's Wednesday's.

So anyways, I I'm in dr. Clark's prayer group and dr Horton's also in the prayer group. So it's been fun. You know, I just get to sit in a Circle with those guys and pray about different things and it's cool to see, you know I know those men in their ministries and appreciate them, but it's it's sweet to hear, you know, just their Piety and love for the Lord and care for the other students in the prayer times and stuff.

And so I always I mean, I you know, we love dr. Clark anyways, but I always defend dr Clark because I'm in his prayer group, you know, because he's such a warrior online I think for good things for truth.

But then he's so sweet and gracious and kind and following up on prayer requests During the semester. So it's that's been a real blessing.

Amen, talking to Luke Abenroth today on no compromise radio ministry. Luke when I'm dead in 20 years. Are you gonna continue the ministry of no compromise radio or what are you gonna change it to?

Maybe I'll do a couple weeks and see how much the listenership drop. 60

Well, you know I always think I appeal to the younger folks because I know their slang and where they're coming from and then I realize only people who are over 60 listen to my show. Yeah, cuz they're all your friends.

So, I guess this weekend is the West Cal conference, right. Are you supposed to attend that. Is that required as a student to attend the conference?

No, it's not I you know, I would I would attend. I'll plan on attending in the future. But we have some stuff going on at church. So got a youth camp coming up. So I'm gonna be at that. So I don't think I'm gonna make it to the to the conference.

So when it comes to youth camp, I know Bible teaching is passe and out of date. Explain that game again where the children the young young Adults rather put the peanut butter on their face and you throw cheese balls to see if they stick.

Explain that again.

Yeah, yeah, that's the game that we play.

Christian Surfers, Law and Gospel, and Reaching the Unchurched

I know I've always stuck in my mind. Luke I know you are involved. I know you're involved with a group called Christian surfers and when I first heard about it.

I thought I was probably.

You know, no pun intended watered down and and All this other stuff. Tell me what goes on at Christian surfers and how the Lord's giving you some opportunities to Preach law gospel preach the real gospel see some fruit regarding all that.

Tell me about Christian surfers.

Well, you know, I like Christian surfers because I met my wife through Christians. Like even draw sound effects, it's dangerous. How about this one?

Was good that was the best thing.

Yeah, so.

Yeah, Christian surfers is a ministry. It's it's very it's very broad parachurch, but it's been great because I met my wife. We just randomly. We all serve our family. Everybody knows that but we were some of my roommates were surfing and they met some people in the water.

And they said hey somebody gives their testimony. There's free food on the beach. So I kind of got involved through that and Now Hannah and I helped lead one of the Christian surfers. Chapters are pretty much.

All we do is we surf together and then we have somebody come in and talk about the Bible or share their testimony or something so now we're just starting a series through John where we have a good amount of kids of younger kids who surf but they've never been to church or anything that they come on Thursday nights and we surf together and Then we'll read a chapter of John and we'll talk about the main points and ask some questions.

So we're just kind of trying to expose these these younger, you know, we call them drums these kids to the Bible and to Jesus and who he is and the claims he makes about himself and Obviously the theme of John is that you might believe that Jesus is the Messiah.

So it's been really great, you know and we have people who just meet in the water and you can say hey come right into the beach and get some free pizza or.

Whatever and.

Talk to him about the gospel. So it's been good and I was able to talk at their Mexico trip gathering and just talk about the gospel and so so it's been a blessing and a nice way to kind of reach out and Surfing such a selfish sport.

Anyways, that is kind of nice to do something with surfing. That's. You got to be nice when you're surfing and then you're gonna go sit by a flag that says Christian surfers.

Well, and down the street from your at least your old place you had that $1 taco place. You just go buy 50 tacos for 50 bucks in hand.

And they do have a Christian surfers budget so you can get reimbursed at least even for the $50 tacos. See that's nice.

Surfing Slang, Kooks and Barney's Award, and the Alistair Begg Controversy

Is there a theological equivalent to some of the nomenclature in surfing if I said something about kooks or getting pitted? What do you think of theologically when I know. Do you still have that?

I still think of the cooks and Barney's award that he used to give out.

I know and I should probably give it out more often, but I've turned the ministry into talking about Jesus more and of course It doesn't work out. I did here today. I don't know if you heard Luke that Alistair Begg said in a Q &A.

He was talking to a grandmother and that grandmother didn't know if she should go to a gay wedding or not of probably one of her relatives or a grandson or something and Begg said yes, and you should buy them a gift too.

And I thought that sounds like kooks and Barney's award to me.

Yeah, well, I think yeah, that's probably that's an interesting one.

All right, you don't have to say anything else. Oh, okay. Well that's for you know, let the reader understand.

Oh.

Nice. So when I was a seminary student and I was in between semesters or it was the summer I got to read a couple books that I wanted to read versus all the books I had to read. Did you read anything fun while you were having a little break?

I know you were in England and then Germany and other places for Christmas, but did you read anything good in between semesters?

You know, I I wish I could say yes I am. I'm a bad habit of starting a lot of things and slowly working my way through many things at once. So I'm reading the history of the Scottish record of Reformation Scotland by Don Knox right now because we were just there Hannah and I in Scotland, so that's fun to read about just from his perspective.

What happened and about. I think it's it. Hamilton. Patrick Hamilton, you know, who was the first martyr in the Scottish Reformation? He went to Wittenberg and Came back to Scotland and wrote one book.

I think he was executed. He was 24 or something. It is his one book is just an explanation of the law gospel distinction. And so anyway, it's just fun stuff like that and to see all those those places.

So I've been reading that and then I've been for school trying to get ahead. So I've been reading some Meredith Klein and So I'm trying to you know, slip some hyphenated words into my conversations with my wife.

And then what else am I reading? I know I'm also reading some books that I don't like too much. Just reading an Amy Byrd book that I think maybe we could give the award to. So yeah, all kinds of things.

I.

Scottish and German Church Sites, Luther, and Tonsure

Was not expecting the Amy Byrd deal, but I know why you would read such such a book. When you were when you were in England in Scotland, of course, we had no compromise. Radio love the merrow men.

The.

Representatives. Representatives, whatever they're called. Representers. I think they were called also. You went to Erskine's house. Where he lived. Where'd you go Ebenezer's?

Yeah, Ebenezer who's you know, Ralph Erskine's brother and then what was their father's name? The name of the father but they were. You know, they had all these sons that were Pastors and Ebenezer Erskine was the one who I believe started he broke off Eventually from the Church of Scotland and it was either the free church or I don't know anything something like that.

So anyways, I went to his the church that he was a pastor in and then. There is his big monuments right by York. Or excuse me by Stirling Castle. There's a big statue and monument to Erskine and some other monuments to these other Scottish martyrs and stuff.

So it was cool. I mean I wanted to go to.

Octorotor.

The Octorotor Creed, but it was out of the way and you know, I already had stopped at so many random theological sites I was trying to you know, probably find a coffee shop for Anna and I.

A break, you know, so trying to deny myself see. Well, you can go back again another time. Hopefully. It reminds me Luke when I was taking you around Europe we did two different sabbaticals in Europe and I remember I don't know.

I don't think it was you. I think it was one of your sisters that looked at me and said dad. Do we have to see another Martin Luther site?

And.

Then before you got saved remember I took you to England and I thought to myself Do you know what? He's. I've driven, you know taken a look around the world seeing theological things. And so let's look at some war things and we went to Churchill's bunkers and other places like that and.

So I tried not to take you to the you know Where John Rogers was burned or whatever. And and now you looking back you wish I would have taken you to even more sites. Biblically, right?

Yeah, but the thing is I wouldn't have appreciated at the time. So maybe I just got to see him for myself now. I did go interestingly. I went to Augsburg to the church where Luther stayed during I don't know what it was.

He was something before I Wasn't prior to somebody anyways. Luther was summoned to this meeting and he had to go and defend. I think it was early on so tonight by PCs and he stayed there with these monks at this church in Augsburg, Germany and Hannah has some friends there who was celebrating New Year's.

So we met up with them and on our way over to the from the train station to the bus station to get to our Friends house. I saw you know, I think is where the Augsburg Confession was Published and I thought you said Luther some Luther thing here and I found it was that church.

So we went over to the church and we went in and they are having some kind of New Year's Eve Lutheran service. So they were doing like the creed in German and seeing some hymns. And so we went in and sat in the back for 15 minutes.

So I thought that was my little.

Luther thing of the trip a couple weeks ago. Oh, I think that's excellent. Would you tell our listeners a little bit about how you then went to the barber shop there in Germany and in honor of the Monk Luther you got your top your hair tonsured.

Yes, I did and I asked I. Barber asked me how to pray and I told him about the Lord's Prayer. It's a simple way to pray.

Well, I hope our listeners understand what Luke is saying. I did look up in Latin a lot of parables here. I know the word Tonsure in Latin timeshore comes from clipping or shearing and so, you know medieval Catholics love to do that.

And I don't know if you know this or not Luke good thing. You didn't get the tonsure because it is No longer required by papal order since 1972. So I'm I hope you're glad for that. That's right, well today I'm talking to Luke Avendroth a no-compromise radio ministry.

Preaching the Old Testament: Saul, Kingship, and Deuteronomy 17

Luke you've been preaching some at the church. You attend at Tri-City Church in What's the name of the city again? Vista Vista? Yeah, and I know you were assigned to preach I don't know 19 chapters of 1st Samuel at one sitting.

How'd you get your mind wrapped around whatever the three chapters you had to preach through. That was a good exercise.

I guess I think it was six. I think it was six. So it was basically the rise and fall of Saul and yeah, I was challenging, you know. I just had to to pick things that I was gonna skip we were trying to do a serious kind of a jet tour through First and second Samuel in preparation for Christmas.

So I ended up preaching on the rise and fall of Saul and. So that was cool. And you know, it's good. It's good to have to preach the Old Testament and you know. It helps being in seminary. I'm kind of always chomping at the bit now to Preach Christ from the Old Testament and all these things, but I don't get as many opportunities I'd like so it was fun, even though it was challenging to just kind of go through and see.

You know what? We see a lot in Saul is he he sets up the need for an obedient King here. You have a king and it's what the people want and he looks good on the outside. But at the end of the day the expectation from Deuteronomy is we need a king who's gonna obey a king.

He's not gonna just sacrifice but he's gonna be obedient and actually in our stead to represent us. Whether you want to call it federal headship or corporate solidarity or whatever. So it was fun to kind of draw that out and try to make the connection for the people at the church and show that.

This is actually from the text and that Christ is is found, you know. Not we're not reading him in to the Old Testament, but he's there and he's actually there in the text. Even I would say, you know and the authorial intent, you know, maybe not they don't have the full knowledge.

But he's there it was intended to make you look forward to the greater King. So I was fun.

Luke. I can't remember. Is it Deuteronomy 13 that talks about the Kings? What's the passage that what King should veer for a from stay far away from. I think it's Deuteronomy 15.

But I I don't know and you know what? I think Abner child be disappointed with me that I don't know this right at the top of my head. Well, you can I want to say.

Well, can't you just tell me what what it says. Just generally.

It's not Deuteronomy 15 and now I'm on the at least we're not on the air we're on the podcast, but. Well, you keep saying I mean, I'm not trying to dog you but you keep saying like this is the game and drop.

This is the podcast like it's a radio. Someone's gonna tune in. Well, I guess it is, huh? You are you do have a radio shows. It's somewhere. It's radio.

That's right. We have actually now it's Central America Alaska and Wyoming, so it's true. Okay, so I take it back. You're my wise father. I Do know Deuteronomy 18 is the new prophet like Moses.

It might be the same.

Anyways, I couldn't I couldn't move on past that without a saying that but it's it talks about that what the king is is gonna do and and. It's interesting because there's no king yet in Israel it's Moses writing this and it's the law that's given and and and it's this it's almost this prophecy and not prophecy but this statement that when you do this when you reject Yahweh from being your king and.

You set up a king over yourself. So this asking for a king is actually a rejection of Yahweh. This is what that king is gonna need to do. So God's still gonna work through this rejection of your king, which actually is interesting.

Think about that. God's gonna Give you the king that you need. Through your rejection of him as king, which does that. I mean does that sound familiar? But but anyways, I digress and the king that you need needs to be someone who doesn't accumulate many horses doesn't accumulate gold and writes a copy of the law in his in.

Copies out the whole law and makes his own copy and it's kind of this idea of the king has to be the law man. He's the one who he's the expert in the law. He's the one who studies the law and that way you see Samuel does is as he goes through the story of Saul.

He points out all these different instances where if we have Deuteronomy 17 in mind, we know. The king doesn't know the law or if he knows it. He's ignoring it so whether it means he's gonna be the one to offer the sacrifice instead of waiting for the priest or in his.

Hesitancy to.

To kill a gag. King a gag. Even though in Deuteronomy itself Israel's commanded to wipe the Amalekites clean from the earth all these different instances. We get these hints that this king really doesn't know the law and he's not obedient.

He's not the king we're looking for and so anyways, it was fun to draw that out.

Lucas I'm reading Deuteronomy 17 and you shouldn't since you're driving. He shall write for himself talking about the king on the throne. He shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law approved by the Levitical priest.

In other words, it's one thing to just read it. It's another thing to write it out yourself and then have somebody the priest double Check it and it shall be with him and he shall read it all the days of his life that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statues and Doing them.

And I think that's very interesting, especially in light of you know, what what did Chau say it was? The things that you show old gals and giddy up gold gals and giddy up horses riches and wives. So that's Deuteronomy 17 that said that that's that's worth tuning into the radio show not just podcast of no compromise Radio, I otherwise.

Luke I'd have to call it no compromise podcast. No, it doesn't and and what I don't like is when people call these things pods. Because whenever I hear pot, I think of invasion of the body snatchers.

Did you know which which actually is inappropriate movie? So don't recommend it on that.

Well, I'm talking about the original one in the 50s. And it was it was the two things about that show Luke the original one number one. It was talking about communism. That was really the theme of the show that people look just like your husband, but they're acting differently.

And so it was communistic takeover beware of communism. That was the first thread and the second thing. Yeah, and the second thing was at the very end the man in San Francisco at the bridge or someplace close.

Looked into the camera and said they're coming for you and that's called in Hollywood lore breaking the screen breaking it.

Yeah, yeah breaking the fourth wall. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, that's right.

So anyway, that's probably better than breaking the fourth commandment. Yeah.

Or CV I.

Know anyway, Luke. I'm glad we could talk a little bit today. A no compromise radio. We have said earlier that. Maybe you know once a month or something we have you on as you're driving home and we just have to deal with some Spencer edits because if you Drop out then I just keep talking, right?

Like right now.

Luke thanks for being on the show.