Captivate & Conform

Our church has been faithfully trekking through the Book of Matthew for nearly four years. Our journey concludes this Sunday. In anticipation of his final sermon, Pastor Jason shares what he’s learned while studying and preaching through this text, along with some his favorite parts from the gospel. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If y...

Pastor Chris and Pastor Jules sift through some the biggest headlines. They discuss the passing of a cultural icon and how Christlike sympathy does not nullify the need for justice. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate & Conform | cedarcrest....

The church has raised Christians who can rattle off facts about Jesus. But it has often failed to help believers see how the Bible’s grand story of redemption—from Genesis to Revelation—points to Him. That’s the premise of Pastor Chris’ and Dan Everett’s upcoming class “The Eternal and Incarnate Son of God.” Discipleship Institute offers 11-week courses on the Bible, theology, and Christian living...

On this Labor Day special episode, guest Rick Whitmire shares how Christians can strike a healthy work/life balance, starting with how we rest. Discipleship Institute offers 11-week courses on the Bible, theology, and Christian living. Classes begin September 20. Sign up here. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions f...

On this episode we turn to what we listen to in private—in the car, on your morning jog, around the house. Pastor Chris then quizzes Luke and Loren on how well they can differentiate between secular love songs and CCM (Christian Contemporary Music) to prove a point: many modern Christian song lyrics are so vague and watered down that you can’t distinguish them from worldly music. Recommended Bands...

Song choice, both in corporate and private settings, matters. Luke Walters, Director of Worship Arts, joins the show to discuss the purpose of worship in song, his selection process for every Sunday setlist, and why Brandon Lake’s seeker-friendly approach is unbiblical. Cedar Crest BFC’s Philosophy of Worship --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a fr...

Christians are fundamentally servants. We are called to serve just as Jesus Christ came into the world not to be served, but to serve. Yet, in this fallen world, serving comes with many challenges like burnout or bitterness. Scott Allen, an elder and counselor at Cedar Crest, shares how we can avoid these and other common pitfalls while serving. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a p...

This recording is a session from Marriage: Faithfulness in a Fallen World . Dr. Jim Newheiser walks through seven principles of a godly marriage. Access all conference sessions here. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate & Conform | cedarcrest...

“We are saved by faith alone, but the faith that saves is never alone.” - Martin Luther Luther struggled with the book of James at first, for he felt it taught a works-based gospel. But as Pastor Jason clarified during his first sermon preached at Cedar Crest five years ago, the saving faith that produces good works, which James posits, perfectly harmonizes with the rest of Scripture. --- If you e...

While bodily training is only of “some value” (1 Tim. 4:8), Christians should not overlook it altogether. Josh and Victoria Parris, both former D1 athletes and current professional fitness coaches, help Christians navigate the vices of gym culture and slothfulness by viewing exercise as another way to honor and worship God. Much of the content discussed on this episode is inspired from A Little Th...

The world encourages us to withhold no pleasure from our hearts. King Solomon, the wisest and wealthiest man up to that point in human history, did just this—and found it wanting. After conducting an in-depth study of Ecclesiastes, Pastor Jules walks through the main takeaways of this fascinating and often confusing book. Pastor Jules’ Sermon - “Consider” (Eccl. 7:13-18) --- If you enjoyed this ep...

Maybe you’ve heard the common refrains “once saved, always saved” or “eternal security.” Although technically true, these pithy sayings can muddy the theological waters regarding one’s salvation. The doctrine of “Perseverance of the Saints” goes by many names, but it essentially means that only true believers, those united with Christ, will ultimately persevere to the end unto salvation. Previous...

From the rigorous theological wrestling around separating from the crown to the “Indispensable Man” of George Washington who declared that the highest glory of a Patriot is the “character of Christian,” the soil that the American Experiment sprouted from is undeniably Christian. On this in-depth conversation with special guest Dan Waterman, he sets the historical record straight on the biblical ju...

In honor of Captivate and Conform’s 150th episode, we reflect on some of our favorite episodes. Degrees of Sin (Part 2) , November 22, 2023 (Jess Miller) Ask Dr. Farnham , December 20, 2023 (Dr. Mark Farnham) Law-Keepers & Spirit-Walkers , March 6, 2024 (Cliff Boone) Biblical Counseling (Part 2) , April 3, 2024 (Scott Allen) Karmic Christianity , May 26, 2025 (E.D. Burns) --- If you enjoyed th...

Bright Hope is a pregnancy support center in the Lehigh Valley that Cedar Crest partners with. Jen Davies (Interim CEO) and Dave Block (Communications and Development Manager) share the heart behind Bright Hope and current challenges the ministry faces in a pro-choice state like Pennsylvania. BABY BOTTLE CAMPAIGN Grab a bottle on Sunday mornings from one of the cribs, fill it with your donation, a...

Mark Crocco, Director of The Rephidim Project , shares what it means to live a Christ-centered life. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate & Conform | cedarcrest.church/podcast Learn more about Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church | cedarcrest....

Randy Grossman, longtime BFC pastor and moderator of BFC conference, joins the show to recap the noteworthy items of the 143rd BFC Conference. Making Room on the Millennium --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate & Conform | cedarcrest.church/po...

In this special “Earth Day” episode, Cliff Boone and Paul Younger, both Christians serious about caring for creation, discuss how believers are called to be good stewards of all God’s given us—including the world we inhabit. Further listening: “The Christian and Creation” --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for th...

Pastor Chris and Pastor Jason respond to some of the biggest headlines on this edition of “Culture Roundup.” --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate & Conform | cedarcrest.church/podcast Learn more about Cedar Crest Bible Fellowship Church | ced...

Pastor Chris and Pastor Jason conclude our ”Theology of Gender” series by discussing God’s design for men and women in society. While Scripture does not address this topic directly, guiding principles—such as the gender roles established in Genesis and the broader biblical pattern—help inform how men and women can honor God in the public square. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a p...

The modern church is confused by relationship between God’s law and his gospel. Many Christians view them as opposites, with the former rendered obsolete by the latter. But a right understanding of how they harmonize paints a clearer picture of the Christian life, the saving message in Scripture, and the God we serve. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it...

As we prepare our hearts for Good Friday, Pastor Jason explains what makes it so good: Christ’s obedience to the Father, Christ’s atonement for our sin, and Christ’s purchase of our salvation. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate & Conform |...

As the Iran war continues, Christians should pause before reacting and consider: (1) what makes a war just, and (2) how to wage war justly once engaged. Dan Waterman helps us think through these questions. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate &am...

With the sudden passing of one of our members, Tealson Herrlin, Captivate & Conform is pausing the release of our episodes as we lament the loss of a son and brother. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church . Visit Captivate & Conform | cedarcrest.church/podc...

Gender roles in the church is the type of stuff that splits entire denominations. In a culture that prizes personal calling above all, it’s no surprise that boundaries are often crossed at the expense of biblical faithfulness. --- If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a positive review and share it with a friend! If you have any questions for the show, email us at podcast@cedarcrest.church...