Four Oaks Midtown Podcast

We start a new series today on peace. God promises that despite the troubles we have in this life we can have a peace that surpasses understanding. But how do we grasp this peace? With the Apostle Paul and his letter to the Philippians as a guide we will learn how to put peace into practice. The first tactic for peace: gratitude. Don't miss this series.

We dive into a new series today called Old Dead Guys. Each week we take one topic and recruit a Christian theologian to help us think through it. This week we're looking at the topic of humanity. What does it mean to be a human? Is Christianity about denying our humanity or something more? Athanasius was a theologian of the early church who pondered this question and worked through ideas that have...

Peter teaches us on the importance of humility in trials and the hope God offers to those who trust him.

Bryan and Paul wrap up the Tallahassee Vice series on the Seven Deadly Sins by providing practical application. If you haven't listened to the Tallahassee Vice series... what are you doing with your life? Probably nothing because we're in a pandemic. So get to it!

How does God care for His church? He gives them the gift of pastors and elders to care for their souls.

Heaven will be wonderful, but it is only a step towards our ultimate hope. God promises he will make all things new -- including this world. Our great hope is that we will live forever in a physical world where the heavens and earth are renewed by God's glory. Revelation ends with a city descending from heaven to earth in a final act of redemption. Heaven is not forever. It is just the beginning....

Christian conversations about sex and lust can often devolve into legalistic finger-wagging or childish indulgence. Bryan and Paul take a serious look at what lust does to the dignity of sex and how we can break its cycle of shame, self-loathing, and slavery. Let's put the juvenile talk aside and dive in.

Peter gives surprising advice to Christians fearful of the future: don't be surprised when trials come, but also have faith that God will overcome.

It can be intimidating to be a Christian in a time of rapid cultural change, but the church still has reason to hope. Christ's call to disciple the nations will succeed not by our efforts, but by the power of the Spirit in Christ's church through the preaching of the gospel. Christianity will face set backs, but in the end all of our sacrifices and efforts will forge the path for new generations t...

Gluttony is a sin, but it goes deeper than just eating that extra slice of pizza. It's fundamentally about selfishness. Gluttony makes our pleasure and preferences the center of the universe when it comes to food and drink. You can be a glutton because you're too picky with food. You can be fit and still a glutton because you do not consider others at the dinner table. How do we combat this sin in...

Real Unity

Dragons? Beasts? Prostitutes? What does it all mean? Symbols lie at the heart of Revelation. Let's dive in to find out what they mean and why they matter. Watch on IGTV: @fouroakscollege

Why are we so angry? We might not express anger in outbursts of rage, but we often carry with us a gnawing frustration with others. We act cold and distant to people we love to punish them. We wish the worst on others and find delight in their misery. Our anger destroys relationships, work environments, churches, and communities because we simply do not get what we want. Is there an escape from th...

Peter exhorts us to have sober minds and servant hearts as the church faces opposition.

How should we read Revelation? Is it a straight shot through 22 chapters? Or is there something else going on? Get ready to dive into the deep end of the strangest book in the Bible. Watch on IGTV: @fouroakscollege

What is the biggest relationship killer? The answer might surprise you -- sloth. What is sloth? It's not just laziness. Sloth is a refusal to answer the call of love. To avoid doing the hard thing to love someone else through apathy or escapism. Bryan and Paul tackle the root causes of sloth as well as ways to grow into the kind of person who loves well.

Peter instructs us on how to have the proper mindset in the midst of persecution and trials.

What does Revelation teach about the Rapture? Nothing. It's not mentioned in Revelation. Yet the Rapture is one of the cornerstones of the modern American vision of the end times. We look at Matthew 24 and 1 Thessalonians 4 to uncover the truth about the Rapture and what it means for us today. Watch on IGTV: @fouroakscollege Watch on YouTube:  https://youtu.be/6FEbaVgpEMc  

Bryan and Paul tackle the touchy subject of money. It is difficult for all of us in a consumeristic culture to part with our stuff. We feel like we never have enough money and as a result rarely consider whether we need to be generous. How do we break this? How do we have money without letting money have us? How do we use money to love people rather than using people to love money? Find out in thi...

Christ in our hearts

Does Jesus actually expect us to succeed in the Great Commission? Will God's kingdom be a few people huddled in a corner, or a massive sea of worshippers from every tongue, tribe, and nation? Revelation gives us hope for our call as the church to preach the gospel. Despite how things may seem, God's kingdom will advance across cultures and people groups to the ends of the earth.  Watch on IGTV: @f...

Bryan, Lance, and Zach reflect on current events regarding race. Resources mentioned: Black and Tired: Essays on Race, Politics, Culture, and International Development Dr. Anthony Bradley Black Rednecks and White Liberals Dr. Thomas Sowell The Black Church and Civil Rights Dr. Ryan Reeves  

Unity and the pursuit of peace

It's common to limit the Christian life just to your personal devotions with God. Those are important, but they are only part of the picture. We are called to be part of Christ's church, his bride, not just in theory, but in practice in the local church. If we love Jesus we will love his church. We will also listen to Jesus when he corrects where we've gone wrong. In Revelation 2-3, the Spirit of...