Training Our Minds
Training Our Minds ”to think God’s thoughts after Him” had its beginnings as a Sunday School class for 8th grade students through adults going through the Heidelberg Catechism. Once the class finished the catechism, Ben began the current study of Worldviews | Evangelism | Counseling to help equip members engage with the culture and share their faith with those who embrace different worldviews. Both classes are being uploaded to Seventh Reformed Church’s website and are now finally available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts! Ben Bessett, Director of Outreach and Pastoral Care since May 2021, has also worked as a jail and hospital chaplain and a graduate of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary.
Episodes
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
Tuesday Jan 30, 2024
How would you articulate the difference between natural revelation and special revelation? Is there a difference between natural law, natural revelation, and the sensus divinitatis? How would you use natural law in answering the question about what happens to people who die who have never heard the Gospel?
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
Thursday Dec 14, 2023
1 Corinthians Sermon Series 3:1–4
Stagnant is defined as a body of water having no current or flow, often giving an unpleasant smell. As Christians, we have the righteousness of Christ imputed to us, we have been forgiven of all our sins. This is a wonderful blessing, but we also must be aware that we can still act and think as the world does. No, there is never a point where a true believer can become repulsive to God where we are not covered by the blood of Christ, but we can become stagnant in our Spiritual growth and maturity.
December 3, 2023
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
Tuesday Nov 28, 2023
1 Corinthians Sermon Series: 2:1–16
Ever since the fall in Genesis 3, we have seen the battle between the wisdom of God vs. the wisdom of this world. Humanity naturally opposes God. It naturally places itself at the center and interprets all things from this perspective. It wants to be the source of all wisdom. The apostle Paul is telling the Corinthian church that they have a special wisdom, a supernatural wisdom that only comes by way of the Holy Spirit. The same is true for all believers in Christ.
November 19, 2023
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
Tuesday Nov 21, 2023
1 Corinthians Sermon Series: 1:17–31
The wisdom of this world has been at odds with its own Creator since the fall of mankind in Genesis 3. Human beings, because of their own pride and enmity, think they are the centerpiece of the universe. Belief in Jesus Christ is utter nonsense to them. Humanity looks for wisdom, but not God's wisdom. They desire to learn about the creation, but not the Creator. This battle has been going on since the beginning of time. God conceals His wisdom in what the world believes is foolishness (the cross). God uses what the world considers "weak" (the church) to confound whatever beliefs they create in their ongoing attempt to profane the name of Christ.
November 12, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
1 Corinthians Sermon Series: 1:10–17
It should come as no surprise that pride and division exist within the Christian community. Why is this? Because we all bring our sin nature with us when we walk through the door. Churches have divisions because churches are made up of sinful people. It's that simple. The key is to recognize this, to be aware of our own sins that we bring to the table, and to be working on this through prayer, confessing our sins one to another, and being built up by the preaching and teaching of the Word. It is important for every one of us to take responsibility for the sin we bring in and own it.
November 5, 2023
Thursday Nov 02, 2023
Thursday Nov 02, 2023
"One of the most dramatic moments in my life for the shaping of my theology took place in a seminary classroom. One of my professors went to the blackboard and wrote these words in bold letters: Regeneration Precedes Faith." —R.C. Sproul
Study Notes
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
Thursday Oct 26, 2023
"The blood of Christ hath such a divine power to save, that nothing but it can ever save the soul." —Charles Spurgeon
Study Notes
Thursday Oct 19, 2023
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
Thursday Oct 12, 2023
As the salt flavors every drop in the Atlantic, so does sin affect every atom of our nature. —Charles Spurgeon
Study Notes
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Circular reasoning is often considered a fallacy because it is usually random and not specific; such as: "the Bible is true because the Bible says so." But, it can be reasonable if it goes beyond a simple circle: "since God inspired Scripture, the Bible is true."
Study Notes