For the Church

This week, Seth is in the host seat as he asks Keaton questions about where we are in the pastoral search process, more information in what we are looking for in a pastor, and a discussion on what sets Zion apart as church. We also look forward to what will be coming on the next season of the podcast when we return in the new year. For more information, visit www.zioncolumbia.org.

Keaton and Seth take a look at some statistics of pastors facing burnout and discuss how a congregation might be able to help take care of our pastors. Ask us a question by emailing keaton.paul@pcazion.org. Visit www.zioncolumbia.org for more information about Zion Presbyterian Church. (00:00) Introduction (06:53) Statistics of Pastor Burnout (34:45) Helpful Helps

In the conclusion of our mini-series on pastor profiles, Pastor Keaton Paul and Seth Scruggs discuss what it looks like for someone to be an ordinary pastor. If you have questions, send an email to keaton.paul@pcazion.org. (00:00) Intro (04:21) Tom Carson's Story and What We Can Learn From It (17:40) Eugene Peterson's Assessment (32:57) What does the life of an ordinary pastor look like? L...

Keaton and Seth discuss what it means for the pastor to be a theologian and the importance of lifelong study for pastors. (00:00) Introduction (03:00) What is theology? What is a theologian? (09:40) Pastors as Theologians: Education, Augustine, B.B. Warfield (40:42) What Being A Theologian Means (50:04) Characteristics of a Faithful Theologian (and Pastor)

This week, Keaton and Seth take a look at what it means for a pastor to endure for the gospel by looking at the lives of church leaders Athanasius and Charles Simeon. (00:00) Introduction - Enduring for the Gospel (11:30) The Life of Athanasius (20:52) The Life of Charles Simeon (45:03) What does it look like for pastors today to endure for the gospel?

This week, Keaton and Seth discuss the role of a pastor as a leader in a changing culture through the lens of some past leaders of the church who have done this well. For further reading: Augustine's City of God: https://www.amazon.com/City-Translated-Introduction-Marcus-Dods/dp/1420956892/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=37KLO1GEQDIWS&keywords=city+of+god&qid=1698007302&sprefix=city+of+god%2...

This week, Keaton and Seth take a look at what it means for the pastor to be a preacher, the role of preaching in the church, and how a congregation should receive preaching.  If you have questions, you can submit them to keaton.paul@pcazion.org for an upcoming Question and Answer episode. Zion Presbyterian Church — www.zioncolumbia.org

This week, Keaton and Seth begin a look at profiles of different pastors throughout history. In this episode they look at what it means for pastors to be Physicians of the Soul. For further reading, check out: The Pastor and the Modern World by Edgar, Hughes, and Poirier: https://www.amazon.com/Pastor-Modern-World-Reformed-Ministry/dp/1955859043/ref=sr_1_1?crid=376U5X73UHJQQ&keywords=the+pasto...

This week Pastor Keaton Paul and Seth Scruggs talk about the denominational process for getting our next pastor. They dig into the Book of Church Order and how pastors are prepared for ministry. We are going to be doing a Q&A episode in a few weeks. If you have questions about the process, what we are looking for in a pastor, or anything else regarding calling our next pastor send them to keat...

In our current moment of Zion’s history we are on a journey to find our new lead pastor. This is an exciting time, but also one that can raise questions and concerns. In this season we want to ask and hopefully answer some of those questions. What is a pastor? What makes a good one? How do we find a new lead pastor? How do we get them here? What is the process?' In this week's episode, P...

This season we are focusing on theological topics that are important foundations for the church. These will be theological topics that need to be deeply installed as bedrock truths for the followers of Jesus. For the next few episodes, we are going to talk about the Trinity — the one true God eternally exists in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Trinity has fallen on har...

In this episode we talk about navigating todays world theologically, with some help from Herman Bavinck and Dr. Cam Clausing.  Here's our premise -- everyone has a theology.  Being made in the image of God means that we were made to run off of revelation -- we simply can't operate without a theology. And the hard thing that we often find as we walk with Jesus is that we have our stated t...

In this episode, we discuss the value of studying theology with three of our sisters in Christ who are in seminary: Lauren Holley, Terry Eaves (our Women's Ministry Director) and Destiny Paul. Here's our premise -- everyone has a theology.  Being made in the image of God means that we were made to run off of revelation -- we simply can't operate without a theology. And the hard thin...

So the question doesn’t center on whether predestination is biblical — but rather on what basis does God predestine. Does God predestine some to eternal life according to his free and sovereign choice , OR does he predestine based on the foreknowledge of who will choose Jesus ? Or -- maybe another way to frame the question: Who initiates faith and repentance, God or man? For the church, a podcast...

For the church, a podcast for the flock of Zion Presbyterian Church in Columbia, TN. We want to help you think biblically about everyday matters. Zion Church exists to join Jesus in his mission to reach people with his gospel, and then to equip his people to worship and serve. I am Paul Joiner, the Senior Pastor back with my regular conversation partner and friend, Jon Kelly and today we have our...

For the church, a podcast for the flock of Zion Presbyterian Church in Columbia, TN. We want to help you think biblically about everyday matters. Zion Church exists to join Jesus in his mission to reach people with his gospel, and then to equip his people to worship and serve. I am Paul Joiner, the Senior Pastor back with my regular conversation partner and friend, Jon Kelly. This season we are go...

We are going to start this season with the Sovereignty of God. Reformed theology is uniquely God-centered. When people discover Reformed thought the God-centered nature of it is the thing that first strikes them — even our children’s catechism starts with the question, “Why did God create humanity?” “For his glory.” The Bible is one story of God working all things toward his glory in the person an...

In 2019, the General Assembly created a study committee to “study the topic of human sexuality with particular attention to the issues of homosexuality, same-sex attraction, and transgenderism and to prepare a report.” In this episode, we talk through this report which was commended as a “biblically faithful declaration" at this year's General Assembly. You can find the report here: http...

Part 1 of a two-part series on the PCA's national meeting. In this episode, we discuss how the PCA is set up, how presbyterianism works, and how the General Assembly operates. Next week we will discuss the Report on Sexuality and a couple of Overtures we discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. If you would like to watch the General Assembly deliberation, you can find it here: https://...

“ Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. ” (Philippians 4:5, ESV) Outrage is today's drug of choice. Studies have shown that it activates the same systems as an addict when he takes a hit. And like a drug — it's a quick hit — an easy fix — it bypasses patient, thoughtful work to get to a reward — and rather it seeks the immediate. Outrage feels so good on the front end. But like a...

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. “ Encouragement is when we impart courage to each other. Just as discouragement is when we take courage away. Maybe we can think of courage this way, “the willingness to take the next step in light of overwhelming obstacles.” Compassion is wonderful for a moment but it always needs to be married...

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” and promised that “the truth will set you free” — made in the image of God — we were made to live under the objective truth that comes from the Creators mouth — Jesus said, “humanity can’t live by bread alone, but every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Nobody simply dismisses this dynamic — everyone lives by truth claims. And, in my e...

The conscience is our moral sense. It accuses us and excuses us according to an external standard. What is the freedom of the conscience? The freedom of the conscience is earned by the cross and thus must be shaped by the cross. One of the things the freedom of the conscience is meant to do is allow us to make compromises — compromises for community and compromises for the mission of Jesus. Zion P...

The conscience seems to be a hot topic in this cultural moment. So we wanted to enter into the conversations around the conscience. The conscience is a moral sense — it alerts us to guilt and innocence. The Puritans would call the conscience “God’s spy in the bosom.” Calvin called it an awareness of a thousand witnesses (3.19.16). And I like both of those because instead of being a wild-card to do...