164 - Season 3 Intro

[00:00:09] Speaker A: Hey, everybody. That's Nathan. That's Brian. I'm JC. We're your host of the Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast. And we are back. [00:00:19] Speaker B: Yes, we are. [00:00:21] Speaker A: Three, baby back in the saddle again. There has been weeping and gnashing of teeth. The rumor mill has been rolling. The boys are done. [00:00:32] Speaker B: They will never be back. They're shutting it down. [00:00:37] Speaker C: Somebody say that? [00:00:38] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [00:00:40] Speaker C: Well, you know what this proves? These people may be haters, but they are not prophets, nor the children of prophets. [00:00:47] Speaker A: That's true. It's funny, when we first started, I went to I think it was Apple Review or something on Google, I don't know. But there was one of the reviews and it said, this podcast will last two months and then run out of content. Well, we're almost 200 episodes going on season three, and I'm excited. Y'all ready? [00:01:09] Speaker B: I'm ready. [00:01:11] Speaker A: Let's go. [00:01:28] Speaker C: The Recovering Fundamentalist Podcast starts in three. [00:01:31] Speaker B: You know what makes women stupid is calling Jesus was not a bartender. Hi, man. [00:01:37] Speaker A: Two. [00:01:37] Speaker B: You have lost your mind, long tongue. Heifers have given me a lot more trouble than heifers wearing bridges, and you know that. Say Amen. Right? There. One let me tell you something, Bozo. They'll be selling frosties in hell for this. Boy puts on a pair of pink underwear. Amen. I suck my thumb till I was. [00:01:56] Speaker C: 14 years of age. [00:01:57] Speaker B: High. [00:02:01] Speaker A: Man. It's kind of like we're doing the new retro RFP. [00:02:07] Speaker B: Yes. Old. [00:02:09] Speaker A: Absolutely paths, man. [00:02:11] Speaker B: All right. [00:02:11] Speaker A: I'm telling you, Cowboy Kyle, when he made that intro, that is podcast gold right there. [00:02:19] Speaker C: That dude, it's intro perfection. And I guarantee if we did a poll among all of our listeners, everybody loves the old intro hey, don't hurt. [00:02:31] Speaker B: My budy Sam Jones feelings. He did so good on the second one, too. [00:02:34] Speaker A: He did golden voice notes. But about that first one, kind of like the old paths, we just nostalgia, man. [00:02:45] Speaker B: It is really good. And Cowboy Kyle has a couple of grammys, right? So, I mean, the dude is legitim. [00:02:51] Speaker A: Awards, and you get to hear Jack. [00:02:54] Speaker C: Kyle say, I suck my thumb till I was 14 years of age. That counts for something. [00:03:00] Speaker A: It really does. Speaking of going retro old school, we have a new old sponsor of the RFP. [00:03:11] Speaker C: Get out of here. [00:03:12] Speaker A: Soap is back, baby. [00:03:14] Speaker C: Free life. [00:03:16] Speaker B: Yeah, you cut out a little bit. Say that again. JC. [00:03:19] Speaker A: Season three, real Life Soap is back as a sponsor of the recovering fundamentalist free Life Soap. [00:03:27] Speaker B: Man Soap. [00:03:27] Speaker A: It's funny. I was talking to Miss McKibben. Oh, look at that. Season three got her. Wow. McKibben. And she was saying how she went away from her online sales to focus on some in store things. And this summer I forgot to give her a heads up that we were running our summer sabbatical. We're doing old school episodes and she goes all of a sudden, my online sales start blowing up, and I couldn't figure out why everybody's using the RFP code whenever they're going on and making their purchase to get 20% off of their order. She's like, what is going on? And then I realized RFP is running Summer Sabbatical episodes. And it was like we were brand new with the Free Life Soap. And so she's back and I'm excited, and we're going to now smell good and get some free soap. [00:04:18] Speaker B: Hey, I haven't even told you guys this, but before we moved, she sent a gift bag. This was probably a little over a year ago. I guess you guys probably got something too. But she sent a gift bag with a sweet note like she always does, and it got packed away. Well, my wife pulled it out of some box a few months ago. So I go into the bathroom and sitting like, there was this halo, the sun rays coming from the ceiling. These choirs started singing. And sitting on the side of the bathtub was this bar of I think it was Campfire Free Life Soap. Oh, my goodness. Dude. It's been this glorious month of just enjoying Free Life Soap, and it's perfect timing. I think that's just a vision from the Lord of what was to come with the RFP. [00:05:07] Speaker C: Oh, it was it was like a know. If we ever are able to really convince men of the power of Free Life Soap, the sales will be astronomical. There is some kind of magical power in Free Life Soap. It makes you more manly. It makes you more attractive. Free Life Soap is so awesome that you can bathe in pumpkin spice and still be manly. It's crazy. [00:05:36] Speaker A: Now, Brian, she did want me to give you a heads up that she has not made the pumpkin spice Hallelujah this year. That's fine. I love the advice. It just went away from the pumpkin spice, so I know Brian will shed a tear over that, but he can smell like a man and not pumpkin spice. [00:05:54] Speaker C: Hey, well, I also love the one that's made up of, like, the dolphins colors. I can't think of what the name? [00:06:02] Speaker A: California dreaming. [00:06:03] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a real California something. [00:06:05] Speaker C: Yeah, I like that one. [00:06:07] Speaker A: Yeah. On top of the soap, they also have beard oil that listen, guys, with chin curtains like all of us have, we put some beard product. I have more product now for my beard than I did when I had a full head of hair. And her beard oil is one of the best smelling, longest lasting beard oils that you will put on your chin curtain. Go check them out today. Go to recoveringfundamentalist.org. Click on the Free Life Soap tab. Use your promo code RFP and get 20% off, 15% off. I don't honestly know how much you'll get off, but you'll get something off. [00:06:41] Speaker B: You'Ll get a percentage off. [00:06:43] Speaker A: You'll get something off of it when you use your promo code RFP and help a local family run incredible business out today. And we want to thank Ms. McKibben for being a sponsor of the Recovering fundamentalist podcast. [00:06:58] Speaker C: It was so fun to hear you say that. That was nostalgic. [00:07:02] Speaker B: Yes, it was amazing. Hey, let's talk about the summer sabbatical. [00:07:06] Speaker A: Yeah, it was long. [00:07:08] Speaker B: It was long. [00:07:09] Speaker C: It was needed. [00:07:11] Speaker A: We couldn't end it. Trying to record for three weeks. [00:07:16] Speaker B: Yes. [00:07:17] Speaker A: My bad. [00:07:18] Speaker C: Well, for the people who were trying to say that the summer sabbatical meant that we were finished and done, it's just proof that they don't understand other people's lives and everything that we had going on. Some serious health issues over the course of the summer that had to be dealt with and things like that. And it just proves there are a lot of people, they're like buzzards. They're always flying around looking for something dead. [00:07:44] Speaker A: Yes, good analogy. But hey has been nonstop for all of us and it's still not slowing down. We're just adding to it. Yeah, that makes sense. [00:07:59] Speaker B: Hey, we did get to see each other a couple of weeks back at the men of Valor conference. Man, how awesome was the men of Valor conference this year? All three of us spoke at that, although JC. Was the main session speaker and Brian and I were breakout session speakers, so we know the whole hierarchy of the RFP. It's all about. [00:08:24] Speaker C: Was it was so humble. [00:08:25] Speaker B: JC speechless. He's speechless. [00:08:28] Speaker C: Nathan, I'm just in season three. [00:08:30] Speaker A: I'm not answering stupidity. [00:08:32] Speaker C: How nice was it, though, for JC. To cast a big shadow so that you and I could at least stand in it? [00:08:38] Speaker B: Man, I tell you what his sermon was like. [00:08:42] Speaker C: Yes, it was. [00:08:43] Speaker B: He absolutely blew it out of the water. And I was honestly, after JC. Preached that sermon I'm not joking. After he preached that sermon, I was like, I'm so glad I don't have to follow him. Know, poor Randall had to get up the next morning and try to follow up JC. And I mean, if you had hung around JC. You would have been there for that. But you know those big name preachers, they always come in and they speak and then they leave and kind of like JC. And Brian both did at the men of Valor conference. Man, one of these days I'll be like a big time guy like you guys. [00:09:14] Speaker C: Hey, I paid for my sins. And by the way, I stayed there longer than I normally say most places. [00:09:19] Speaker A: Yeah, you did. [00:09:20] Speaker C: You guys don't know this, but I got right outside of Danville. It was about 01:00 A.m. And my car started going nuts, losing power, lunging forward, every dash light coming. [00:09:33] Speaker B: I knew it because I was on the phone with you. [00:09:35] Speaker C: We were on the phone together. I broke down on the side of the road there in the darkness as the wolves howled and the bears growled but I was broken down on the. [00:09:44] Speaker A: Side of the road. [00:09:45] Speaker C: Had to call a wrecker and didn't get home to about 230 a. M. But guys, check out how cool this is. God is always at work. The driver of the truck happened to be going through a lot in his life right now. He's had a very troubled past. He's trying to get his life right. He and I ended up having an incredible Jesus conversation at 02:30 A.m. Out in my front yard. I stood there and was able to hold this guy's hands and lead him in prayer and pray God's blessings over him that he would turn his eyes to Jesus Christ. And so even in a breakdown, something. [00:10:18] Speaker B: Good came out of it is amazing. [00:10:21] Speaker A: I don't have a spiritual story. I was just at Buckies in Severeville at 330 in the morning eating some brisket. The world's largest gas station at 330 in the morning in Pigeon Forge. Well, Severeville, that was fun. I actually get home because my son had his first soccer game and he scored his first goal. So I'll skip Randall, Anton, and Raven any day to get come on. [00:10:43] Speaker B: That's my brother. [00:10:44] Speaker A: My son, not my brother. Score a goal. [00:10:47] Speaker B: Yeah, go ahead. [00:10:49] Speaker A: I was just going to say we love the Men of Valor. [00:10:52] Speaker B: We love the RFP man. [00:10:54] Speaker A: Guys, this is going to be a rough one today because we're rusty. We love the men of Valor. They're part of the RFP network and it was a great conference. Go ahead. That's all I wanted to say. [00:11:04] Speaker B: Yeah, I was just going to say I've made it into the parking lot of Buckies. I pulled in there and it was right at the heart of I think it was the day before July 4 or something like that. So I got off the exit and I pulled in the parking lot and I was like, I didn't even need gas. I was just like, if I walk in here to get a snack, it'll be 45 minutes before I even can find a parking place. And then an hour and a half inside, which they're kind of like chickfila. They get people through real quick. But I was just like, forget it. So I circled out of the parking lot, which took a little while, too, and then went down and went into one of those little just normal, average gas stations. And it was so disappointing. But I was in and out in like three minutes. I felt sorry for those people, man, because they're probably going to go out of business. [00:11:56] Speaker A: Well, speaking of sponsorships, we have something new that we are starting with season number three that's going to kind of give you a backstage pass, if you will. It's a look behind the scenes. So we edit a little bit whenever we put out our final product because as you can tell already we have stumbled across some of our words. There's some rust and every once in a while we just have what we call a brain fart and nothing comes out. We just sit here and look at the screen. We're like, I don't know who's supposed to talk. [00:12:26] Speaker B: Hey, we've kept it hidden for three years that Brian has Tourette's. So I don't know how we're going to keep that off of the hey, hey. [00:12:36] Speaker C: I only have Tourette's with my appendages. [00:12:38] Speaker A: Oh, my man. But we are going to offer for those that want to see behind the scenes, if you will, just like that moment right there an opportunity for you to have an unfiltered, raw, no editing. What you see is what you get part of the RFP. Nathan, tell them all about it. [00:13:01] Speaker B: Yeah. So we're going to do I don't know what you want to call it, backstage Pass members only version of the podcast. Literally, guys, raw, unedited. So start to finish. And here's the coolest thing about this is when we record this, like, say if we I don't know if this has ever happened, but in the future, if we record a week ahead of time, let's just say we get our schedules together and we record a week ahead of time. If we record this on a Monday and then release it the next Monday, this one gets uploaded immediately because I don't have to edit. I can just click a button, get it uploaded. There will be a podcast, and there will also, it looks like, be a link to a private YouTube page that you'll have access to as well. So you can watch the live, raw, unedited, or you could just listen to it driving down the road as soon as it gets released. And honestly, we need to start doing this ahead of time, like at least a week so that we can give a little bit more access. But what we're doing is we're asking for a donation and this is a way for us to give back. We have some patrons already. We want you guys to have access to this and anybody else that signs on. We may just need to do this through our Patreon account. There's two or three different options where we can have the giving link through the donations or through Patreon, or Castos also has a link. So we'll figure that out today in the near future, and you guys will have access to this. But this is really that we thought this up and dreamed this up because the FAM asked for it. The RFP FAM wanted. We've been discussing this for really years and didn't have a way to do it. Well, Castos, the platform that we use, just came out with a way for us to do this. So we're going to jump on this and we would love for you guys to sponsor the podcast and get something back out of it. [00:14:58] Speaker C: So does this mean when I tell the jokes that can't make it to the podcast? Because they actually come to my mind in the moment. I forget we're recording and I tell one of those jokes, JC laughs till he cries. You're saying the audience is going to get that? [00:15:17] Speaker B: Absolutely. Everything raw, unedited, all the time. [00:15:22] Speaker A: It's going to be on there. Hey, you're number one. [00:15:30] Speaker C: That'll be pretty interesting. [00:15:32] Speaker A: I don't know if I like this because well, I guess if you are a non fan and a foe, you could pay us your money and you can get any kind of content you want. How about that? [00:15:45] Speaker B: Hey, we're going to have a list of the people that sign up for it. [00:15:51] Speaker A: Jump on. [00:15:55] Speaker C: Come on in, boys. The water is fine. [00:15:58] Speaker A: It's going to be all right. [00:15:59] Speaker B: Hey, speaking of the water being fine, how are you guys feeling? Like, Brian, you've gone through some health issues. JC. Had some health issues, dude. Did you have the vids here a couple of weeks ago? [00:16:11] Speaker A: Yeah, just got over it again. [00:16:13] Speaker B: Round three in the world. [00:16:16] Speaker C: That is not round three. You've had COVID at least twelve times. [00:16:19] Speaker B: Twelve times? At least. [00:16:20] Speaker C: At least. That's bare minimum. [00:16:22] Speaker A: I don't know. Every other tested once. [00:16:25] Speaker C: You're like, I got the COVID I. [00:16:27] Speaker A: Can'T talk or breathe. I mean, you can't get anything else anymore, right? It's only the Rona. You get an ingrown toenail. It's COVID. That's all you can get these days. [00:16:37] Speaker C: Well, when it's got 50,000 symptoms exactly. Becomes everything. [00:16:42] Speaker B: Yeah, my dad just had it. He's 70 something years old and maybe 70 71. And he just had it. And he said it wasn't that bad this time. He just kind of glided right through it. Feeling much better. [00:16:55] Speaker A: Two weeks ago I was watching the Florida State Seminoles game, which, by the way, let's go. Seminoles are back, baby. Let's go all the way. We're going to win it all this year, mark my words. September twelveTH, Jason. [00:17:07] Speaker C: Hey, Roll Tide. [00:17:08] Speaker A: Win it all. [00:17:08] Speaker C: Roll Tide. Willie would disagree with that. [00:17:11] Speaker A: Well, go. Come, horns. Anyhow state game. And I was like, something feels off. Not really sure what's going on here. By Monday afternoon. Man Bed. I was in bed monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Started feeling human. Friday. Last week is about 04:00 a.m. In the morning. Fever broke and I felt completely fine and I was just ready to go. Haven't felt bad since. Rona, I'm glad you're better. We're good. [00:17:39] Speaker C: Well, guys, I think God performed a miracle for me, to be honest. So I'm sure our listeners have heard me talk about at least once or twice the heart attacks that I had in 2019. And I had to go back to the heart doctor. I was having some issues again. Just knew something was wrong. The doctor was convinced something was wrong. So a few weeks ago, guys, I had another heart catheterization. The doctor came out completely shocked, said everything was clean and clear. Then I had surgery on my foot. My wife had surgery. So basically what we're doing now is taking turns falling apart. So what I'm hoping is it's like a know, everything breaks, you get all the stuff fixed, and then you get a few more good miles out of it. I think that's kind of I'm hoping for a few good miles. Coming up on the road ahead. [00:18:35] Speaker B: Brian, I told you going to that tent revival in Mount Juliet, Tennessee, would make all the difference, and it did. [00:18:42] Speaker C: I just want to praise the Lord. [00:18:44] Speaker A: For what he did for me. You sent some seed money in, didn't you? [00:18:47] Speaker C: Hey, I sowed a seed and reaped a harvest. Praise the Lord. [00:18:51] Speaker B: Well, guys, I don't have really any health issues. I thought I might be getting COVID a couple of weeks ago, but it was just ingrown some allergies, I think. Ragweed, something like that. But your boy Nathan is you need. [00:19:06] Speaker C: To quit smoking that. [00:19:09] Speaker A: Now. [00:19:10] Speaker B: Yes. Hey, it's contextualization, man. Come on. I'm ministering to this culture. [00:19:16] Speaker A: I became all things to all people that are my hippies. [00:19:19] Speaker B: That's it. Hey, we've got scripture on the RFP, man. Look at us. So, hey, in two days, I will be 48 years old. [00:19:29] Speaker A: Wow. [00:19:30] Speaker B: So I'm coming soon to an RFP episode near you. Nathan is going to be talking about all of his ailments right. Along with JC and Brian. But still, I mean, hey, I'm trying to join you guys. And today is my son's birthday. His birthday is two days before mine, so happy birthday, Austin. I know he's an avid listener to the RFP. He loves everything we do, and he just can't wait for these new episodes to be released. Just like all my family. Your families are like this? [00:20:01] Speaker A: Absolutely. [00:20:02] Speaker B: It's like a picture of the know sitting around the right, waiting for the grand ol'opry to come on. And just like that's what my family's like. Every time an episode. [00:20:17] Speaker A: That I'm on a podcast, she's like, you're going, what podcast? What's a podcast? [00:20:25] Speaker C: Something did happen the last time I was around Nathan. It was such a beautiful moment. It was epic. It was so fulfilling. It's kind of like when you bite into the perfect barbecue sandwich and the juice runs down the corner of your mouth. I was with Nathan, and I happened to notice that he had a gray hair in his beard. [00:20:48] Speaker A: There it is. [00:20:49] Speaker C: I was like, thank you, Lord. It's finally happening. He is human. [00:20:55] Speaker B: I've got a lot of gray hairs in this, man. [00:20:58] Speaker C: You don't you don't change. It's not fair. [00:21:02] Speaker A: I took the other day and I was like, my beard is almost white. Like, there's more white than black now. It's weird. Yeah. [00:21:08] Speaker C: I had an odd moment the other week. There was this guy who came, and he's like 65 years old, thick head of hair, perfect shape, dress is really sharp. Just a super crisp looking, dapper kind of a guy. And Denise and I were leaving the church building, and I said to her, man, I really hope I look that good when I'm 65. And then I realized I already don't look that good. [00:21:35] Speaker A: It was like, this is a dark. [00:21:37] Speaker C: Moment in my life right now. [00:21:40] Speaker B: That's so funny. [00:21:41] Speaker A: I can't believe y'all's families don't listen to the RFP. My kids. The only episode that they ask for is the one that we had our wives on play the one dad, and they love it. The one that I was sick when I had COVID, when we recorded years ago, and I went, let's go, and my voice cracked and went, I know your families don't make fun of you at all, but mine do. [00:22:04] Speaker B: That's the only reason they listen to the podcast or my sermons. [00:22:09] Speaker C: Yes. My girls pick up on everything I say when I'm preaching, and I never live it down. [00:22:17] Speaker B: No, it just means they love us. [00:22:21] Speaker A: That's exactly right. [00:22:22] Speaker C: Is that what it means? [00:22:26] Speaker A: Hey, before we jump into what we did this summer, because I'm interested to hear what all y'all did this summer. I know you were busy. We've got some stuff that's coming up that I'm super excited about. In fact, we're going to be going to Israel again real soon. And I know you've been hearing us run that on the summer Sabbatical episodes, but we're going to Israel. It's going to be January 26 through February the third. And this is a pastor's trip, the cheapest you'll ever be able to go to Israel. And there are still a few spots available. We'd love for you to sign up and go with us. You can go to Recovering. I forgot the website. Recoveringfundamentalist.org. Click on the Israel tab and go with us to the Holy Land. I am so fired up to get back there. I talked to the guys at Razoop's Tattoo this week and I've got my scheduled time. Nate, are you going to get another one when we go? [00:23:21] Speaker B: I am, yes. I mean, you may as well. Just once you become a reprobate and get that ink on your skin, you may as well just go all the way. [00:23:29] Speaker A: Need to do an interview with them when we're there. [00:23:31] Speaker B: That would be really cool. We had some great conversations with them last time. [00:23:36] Speaker A: So go with us to Israel. It's going to be February 26 through January 26 through February the third, and we'd love for you to be there. We also have a meet up coming up. Nate, you want to tell us a little bit about that? [00:23:49] Speaker B: Yeah, and before we do that, I'm getting on the website right now. They actually lowered the price of this trip. It's down to 27 50. I think it started out at like 28 90 or something. So they've brought it down over $100, which is a big deal. I mean, that's money that you can spend on Souvenirs or something. So what is the other thing I was going to talk about? [00:24:12] Speaker A: Meet up. [00:24:13] Speaker B: The meetup. Yes. For the sake of the Gospel Conference this year. We've had to adjust some things just because of our schedules. But we are doing a meet up in November, the same weekend, the third and Fourth. Is that what we said? November 3 and fourth, which is a Friday and Saturday. I think some people are coming in on the Thursday. You're welcome to come in, but doing this in Asheville, North Carolina, and really we're still going to have some of the conference sermons. Basically, me, Brian and JC are going to be preaching and sharing the things that were on our hearts. But we're also going to have a ton of time for meetup hanging out. Each of the podcasts that are able to be here in the RFP network will be having their own little meetup, maybe recording some live sessions and stuff like that. Super informal, guys. Last time we spent a whole lot of money and brought in some big names and did some different stuff. I would love to get back to that, but this year with two of us planning new churches and we're going to be talking about that as we move forward in this episode. It's just been insane for us to honor God with our time and our families. We've had to kind of step back. And I'll be honest, in the summer sabbatical, there were times where I started rumors about the fact that we were never going to come back because I was like, man, this is so nice not having to schedule one more thing. But honestly, I would miss it so much because I love what we're doing. But it does take a lot of sacrifice, a lot of time. [00:25:48] Speaker A: Yeah. So we'd love for you to come and be with us in Asheville, North Carolina, November 3 and Fourth. It's a meet up, free, no registration, show up. Your lodging is on you, food is on you, whatever. But come and be with us. We'd love to meet you. And I love getting together with our RFP FAM. I know the RFP network guys and girls will be there and it's just a good time to hang out with some really good. [00:26:15] Speaker B: Yeah, man, it's so cool here and we're hosting it at Hope Church, Asheville. Pastors, load up your church vans, bring a load of people. Like, this is going to be amazing. I am so excited. [00:26:29] Speaker C: Yeah. I think having it informal like that with great time for conversations and friendship building and all of that, I think it makes it even more meaningful because, let's be honest, all of us who came from our background, we spent hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours in meetings listening to people talk. And sometimes it's just cool to have an informal time to just hang out, fellowship and live out the one another's of the New Testament. [00:26:57] Speaker B: Yeah. And guys, I got to tell you, I feel like I'm sitting on a wooden bench under a brush arbor with sawdust on the ground. And it's an old fashioned independent fundamental Baptist camp meeting, because you remember after a preacher was up there for like an hour and a half, he would look at the congregation and say, that was my introduction. Let's move on into point one. So, guys, that was our introduction. Let's talk about season three. [00:27:28] Speaker A: Here we are. [00:27:29] Speaker B: Here we are. [00:27:30] Speaker C: And not to mention, that was a great segue. [00:27:32] Speaker B: It was like it just popped in my head. How many of those sermons did we sit through? That was my introduction. Now let's get into the word of God. [00:27:41] Speaker C: Look a ton. But here's the other thing. Do you remember when they would say, all you're going to do is go home and get in your recliner and sit back and watch the 11:00 news anyway? You know what that proved? Those guys didn't work jobs. I grew up around evangelists and all that. They'd sit at Waffle House till 02:00, a.m. Sleep till 11:00, a.m. Play golf the next day, and then go back to the service the next night. And all the people who were coming to give in the offering, they were all working their jobs. And so that few minutes in the recliner was the only time they were going to have all day to rest a little bit. Man, some people would realize that if they'd go get a real job for a little while, wouldn't they? [00:28:23] Speaker B: That'll preach. [00:28:24] Speaker A: Brian our brains went to two different places, because I thought when he was talking about that, my butt always started itching. I'd get that. Like, I don't know what it was. [00:28:34] Speaker C: Do you know, JC? I could have recorded for a lifetime and never heard about your butt. Itching just to be honest. [00:28:40] Speaker B: Hey, so, guys, season three, let's get back to where we were. [00:28:44] Speaker A: It has been how many episodes are we at? Nate is it one? [00:28:47] Speaker B: It's 164. But I think it's funny that we're in season three and we never had a season one and two. We never announced season one, never announced season two. In season three, we can't count that's. Okay, I can retroactively go back and put season one and season two on all the episodes. And I'm going to do that, by the way. So we just didn't know it was season one and two happened organically. [00:29:14] Speaker A: Because if you season one, that was more like our story and what podcast is all about. Our mission all along is to help and encourage those whose lives have been negatively affected by fundamentalist legalism in the church. And we want to challenge people who promote tradition over scripture. [00:29:33] Speaker B: That's it. [00:29:34] Speaker A: Season one, that's what we did. We focused hard on that. You can go back episode one to episode 50 60, and that's really what we were. All of our interviews, all of our content, it was really about that. [00:29:49] Speaker B: And then it was episode one through 75. [00:29:52] Speaker A: Oh, 75. Then we. Took a break and we came back and we said, hey, we need to change this up a little bit. We're not changing what our mission statement is, we're not going away from that, but because we are recovering fundamentalists. The gospel is our foundation. The last however many episodes talking about the gospel and what our foundation is. And now as we shift from episode 164 into who knows when season four will happen, but we're going to talk about the church and our heartbeat for what God has called us and what it looks like to be the church. I'm excited about episode for season three. [00:30:33] Speaker B: Yeah, go ahead, Brian, and talk to us about the church. I know you're passionate about the church. You planted hope Church, Danville, which was Blessed Hope Baptist Church back in the day, back when you were out with God, and that was like, what, 34 years ago? [00:30:53] Speaker C: Yeah, back when I was preaching revivals and call myself a preacher, but I. [00:30:57] Speaker B: Was indicted care about integrity, even born yet. [00:31:00] Speaker C: Yeah, well, that's back in the day when as long as you had great stories and you know how to, I guess, use emotionalism to your benefit, you didn't have to worry about integrity discipling someone. None of that was even in my purview back in those days. But to be a part of the church is the greatest honor that any of us will ever experience, that we will ever know. To think that there's a savior who lived sinless, who died sacrificially, who rose supernaturally so that we could be this called out community of followers, that we could apprentice under him, that we could learn to walk in his steps for the purpose of becoming more like him that we are this community that is set apart unlike any other community on the face of the earth. More diverse than any community on the face of the planet. Literally, there are followers of Jesus on every corner of this globe. I'm not a flat earther, but on every corner of this globe. There are believers today on the busy streets of Manhattan and on the banks of an Amazonian jungle, the banks of a river in an Amazonian jungle. There are believers literally all over the world. There are even believers who are as articulate and as scholarly as the greatest among us. And then there are people who are believers, who are a part of a tribe that doesn't even have a written language. The diversity of the church is incredible and that the church is made up of the people of God and we're being perfected by Jesus Christ. Romans 828 conformed into his image. One day we're going to be presented faultless in heaven as trophies testimonies to the grace of God. To be a part of the church, guys, it's absolutely incredible. And to know that the church is the body of Christ and that's not a title we wear. That's a responsibility that we live out in his absence. We are his ambassadors. We are his body carrying out his work, carrying on his work while he is not currently physically on the earth, we are the body of Christ. That's not a title, that's a responsibility. And it's the greatest honor. And to give your life to the church, that is a worthy cause. When you give yourself to the church for the sake of the glory of Jesus Christ, I just believe that's the greatest investment of life that you will ever make. [00:33:46] Speaker A: Amen. [00:33:47] Speaker B: Amen to that. [00:33:49] Speaker C: So I'm thankful we're going to be talking about the church now that Hope Church has grown to a family of 16 different congregations with 16 pastors, and God is doing this incredible work. And guys, if I can just for a second take a time out, I think our audience needs to remember that both of you are church planters. Both of you are church planting, which means you're sacrificing, which means you have very little security. You have families, you have responsibilities. But church planting doesn't come with any guarantees. And in a nation where today far more churches are dying than are thriving, there's an epidemic right now of a pastor shortage. We are witnessing this firsthand guys through the ministry of Hope Church. Their church is dying in communities that at one point in time were Bible Belt strongholds. And here you guys are in this culture trying to plan a church. And so I just want to encourage people. When you hear about this $5 unlimited access kind of RFP offer, think about that. Not just as being able to hear our goof ups and our stupidity and to see the behind the scenes, but you need to do that to make an investment in these two guys that every single podcast pour their. Hearts out, who share truth, who share of themselves, who take ridicule because of it all at the same time trying to plant churches and take care of their families. Why don't you look at that $5 like an investment to help these guys while they're living literally by faith and not by sight? Because church planting, especially church planting with a Hope Church or church planting a Hope Church that doesn't come with this big financial benefit so that these guys step into this wealth of pastoral ministry. No, these guys are sacrificing. These guys are they're not on the edge of faith. They are living by faith. And I would love to see you invest in them. And look at it like this. You'll be supporting two church planners and you'll be able to see those moments when we look ridiculous while we're trying to record this podcast. It doesn't get much better than that. [00:36:10] Speaker B: Thank you. Brian. I didn't know you were going to do that, but that was beautiful, man. I love your heart for the pastors, and we're a part of the pastors group. We just had our elders retreat, which man, in the mountains of that was that was just unbelievable. It was life changing and life giving and just love your heart for pastors and you're investing in our lives as well as a bunch of other guys. [00:36:35] Speaker C: That's my joy. You guys are like my kids. God didn't give me a son, and now I'm realizing he's given me, I guess, in the Paul Timothy sense. Not that I am in any way, shape, form, or fashion the equivalent of the Apostle Paul, nor am I comparing myself to the Apostle Paul. But in that same spirit, I think I'm starting to understand how Paul felt about Timothy. Because even we were up there on the mountain just so many times, I look at you guys and it feels like you're my kids. And I'll share this. I never share this publicly, but there are times, guys, when I have moments of prayer, when I shed tears, and I look at you guys and I think, lord, thank you for all these boys you've given me. You didn't give me a son. I prayed for that. A son that would carry on the ministry, but you've loved me enough to give me sons in the faith, spiritual sons. And, man, I love you guys. I'd fight hell with a water pistol for you guys if I thought it would shield you from the flames for just a little while. And it's been the greatest joy of my life. [00:37:47] Speaker A: We do love you. I'm borderline grandson, but we do love you. [00:37:53] Speaker C: Oh, man. [00:37:56] Speaker A: Oh, goodness. The Hope community has been an awesome opportunity for us, planning Hope Church here in Katusa County. Coming up on a year already. I mean, it's unbelievable. October 30 will be our one year anniversary here from the first night we met in a barn. And just to see what God has done in this last year is just absolutely incredible. To see the people that we've been able to minister to and to watch God just continue to grow. The church here in Katusa County in North Georgia, and if you're anywhere close to the Chattanooga, North Georgia area, we'd love to have you come and be part of Hope Church. Katusa, it is a thriving and growing church, and I'm loving this is it's something that I never thought I'd do, honestly. I'm a youth pastor. I'm a college pastor. Pastoring a church. Church planting. It was one of the last things I wanted to do. You fought against it for three years. And constantly speaking that into my life and holding me accountable on that. And sometimes you just got to put your yes on the table, and it's a scary step of faith because it's not comfortable. And this is probably the most uncomfortable I've ever been in life. But, man, the joy really is full when you know you're doing what God has called you to do. And I love being here. I understand why pastors don't like missing their churches on Sunday. Your vocation is a vacation when you're doing what you're supposed to do. You know what I mean? And I love being here around the family of Hope Church. It's more than just Sunday morning, getting to preach every week, which I love doing. But like last night, we have a softball team. We absolutely suck at softball. But I look over there and there's 50, 60 people on the sideline, and it's like a community that God is putting together. And I'm just like, this is incredible. This is what the church is all about. Discipleship, salvations, baptisms, people getting help. And I absolutely love it. And then for me, on top of that, and I just want to put a plug out here for Hope Church family. If you're a pastor that's just out there and kind of just going through the motions, you're struggling, you're alone, man, I want to encourage you to find some good community like this. I would encourage you to reach out to us here at Hope Church. And I may be stepping out of line here. I don't know if we want to add any more Hope Churches to the. [00:40:24] Speaker B: Family, but keep on going. [00:40:25] Speaker A: This community is what I needed. The brotherhood, being on that mountain with the 15 other Hope Church pastors and just being able to share raw, real, unfiltered, no mask, no preconceived notion, just being real, that brotherhood is needed. And I am so thankful to be part of a group of men who love Jesus, who are passionate about the Gospel, who are passionate about his church, but also hold each other accountable. We're not afraid to speak into each other's lives. And, man, Brian, I love I'm so thankful that years ago, when God gave you the vision to start the Hope Church family, that you said yes and put your yes on the table, because here we are years later being benefiting from that. And so the podcast has now become part of the Hope Church family because all three of us are Hope Church pastors. And when it started, I just sat here and listened to you two go on and on and on about Hope Church. And now I get to be part of that. And this past been incredible, and it's taken our friendship. I consider you two of my best friends in the world. I love you guys. And now being part of the Hope Church family, it's taken it from the podcast where we're in the trenches. I mean, we're fighting some battles together. There's some stuff. If I've learned anything over these last four years doing the podcast, my circle has gotten a lot smaller. But there's the people that are in that circle that I can trust a lot more, and you two are part of that. But the Hope Church family has added some guys to that. And, man, I'm thankful you put your yes on the table years ago. And I'm so thankful for what God's doing here at Hope Church. Katusa I show up every Sunday and I'm like, Why are people here? This is unbelievable. Every week. And it's just like, God, are you sure that this is what we're supposed to do? But the best is yet to come and we're just continuing to press forward. [00:42:22] Speaker C: Well, you know, just to hear you share that man, that was beautiful, wasn't it, Nathan? [00:42:26] Speaker B: Yeah, it was. [00:42:28] Speaker C: Yeah, that really touched my heart. JC. Thank you. So, you know, the other thing is sitting out on that back deck up there in the mountains, when have you ever been a part of a pastor's community that takes three and a half hours to obey James Five and confess our faults and our sins and the things we struggle with, and then to experience, one by one, being prayed for? We sat there and confessed and prayed over one another for three and a half hours. That is life changing and life giving. And you mentioned something, JC, that I think is critical. And then I'll say this, and I'll be know, we hear a lot of times from those of you in the RFP audience, what kind of church should we be looking for? Where do we go from here? We're out of fundamentalism. Where do we go know? It may be that you should strongly pray about and consider moving to the Asheville area, moving to the county area, or if you live in one of the areas nearby, one of the other church congregations already, you could go and be a tremendous blessing. For example, in Asheville, there is chronic lostness in Asheville and a desperate need for people to move into Asheville for that area to be impacted by the gospel. You could do that. You could be a part of that. I think you should strongly pray about that and consider it. [00:43:53] Speaker B: Amen. Well, thank you, Brian. And I second that and third that and fourth that. We need some people and God has sent a couple of families that are close by the Asheville area, like 20 to 30 minutes drives that are visiting. And I'm just praying that God allows them to come on and be a part, even if it's just for a short amount of time to come help us for six months, a year to really do what God is calling us to do. We need people here. But let me back up a little bit. I want to take you guys back to 2015. Brian Edwards and I became friends on Facebook and I was standing up for his daddy, defending his daddy when some people were attacking him over the King James version, which is hilarious because he only uses the King James version, he only preaches out of the King James version. But they attacked him because he let up on tradition and started leaning harder into the gospel and scripture than he ever had before. And even admitted that he had been wrong about some things at a point in his ministry that most guys won't ever do that. And still to this day, Craig Edwards episode is one of my favorite episodes ever, and I hear that from a lot of people. But Brian Edwards started reaching out and texting me and calling me, and he started listening some of my sermons online and different things like that, and he said, Nathan, no offense, but why are you youth pastor? He was like, Youth pastoring is great. He goes, but when I look at you and hear you preach and talk to you, god has given you the heart of a pastor. You need to be pastoring. And I was at a season in my life, and he didn't know this, and a lot of people don't know this, but I was at a big season of struggle and discouragement in my life. Our family was in a new season. It was just a lot of things were going on, and I was being attacked from the enemy. And Brian Edwards reaches out to me at a time where I'm thinking, I don't even need to be in don't. What am I even doing? What am I thinking? I'm not even thinking. I'm needing to be in youth ministry. And God is using Brian Edwards to confirm a calling in my life and pushing me towards church planning. And fast forward to 2016. I prayed a prayer that God would make his will clear because Brian offered me a job as a Hope Church pastor or starting the conversation of that. And through all that process, god made it abundantly clear that he was moving me and my family on. And there was no way to misinterpret what he did in my life. It was absolutely clear and ended up planning Hope Church, Trenton. Well, this year, last week, I had the opportunity to have our one year service here, our one year anniversary service here in Asheville this past Sunday. And this coming Sunday. God and his providence set this up. I couldn't have planned this, but this coming Sunday, I'm going to be back at Hope Church Trenton for the seven year anniversary of the church that we planted there back in 2016. So, man, God just does all things well. It's amazing. It's like one of those little winks where you don't realize something's happening, and then you look up and you're like, oh, my goodness. I've got back to back weeks of planning a church seven years ago and one that just started one year ago. Man, it is the joy and privilege of my life. JC. You talk about a vacation. I wake up every day. It's not easy, but I wake up every day knowing I get to do what I love and what is my passion. And really, I have two passions in life. The first passion is my family. My family is my first ministry. And I love them. And I'm leaning into them, especially since I've been in Asheville, trying to lean into them more than I ever have before in ministry and loving them and leading them and just enjoying them. But my second passion is missions, and church planting is missions. It's missionary work. We are missionaries and, man, I am on foreign soil here in Asheville, North Carolina. This is a foreign it's. It's just unique in so many different ways, and I'm thrilled that I get to be a part of that. And season three is about the church, and I think next week we'll lean into kind of introducing what we're going to be talking about and what the church is and what that means. But I love that this week we get to just talk about our experience with the church. And I'm passionate with the church, and I heard Jack Wood, who's an old independent fundamental Baptist pastor and evangelist that preached years ago, and I grew up under his ministry, and he preached a sermon called Don't Mess with the Church. And to this day, it is a sermon that is burned into my consciousness. And I would love to share that at some point on social media somewhere if I get my hands on that. But his passion for the church and just the fact that God works through the local church and you need to keep your hands and your mouth off the local church because this is God's work and we get to be a part of what God is doing at Ground Zero. I love the church. I believe in the church and podcasting and missions trips and all this other stuff that's always going to be secondary to pastoring and what God does through the local church. [00:49:24] Speaker C: Yeah, man, I love that. [00:49:26] Speaker A: And we've got credible interviews that are going to be coming up that we've already lined up for this season that are going to be right in line with this theme throughout season three. And boy, is this going to be a great season. I'm just glad to be back. We kind of shook the rest off on this episode before here. We made it through it, and we got to learn how to talk again and not interrupt my ting's. All oh. But it is good to be back with you. [00:50:00] Speaker B: Hey, before we shut it down, JC, I do want to say because I've been promising my interns that I'm going to do this for months and months and months. I keep telling them every week, I'm like, yeah, I'll do it in a couple of weeks. We're recording in a couple of weeks, and then it never happened. But we have an intern program in Asheville, and I want to make a call to 18 to 26 year olds that are out there, that are out of high school, in college, in Bible college, praying about your next steps. Maybe you're doing seminary online or something like that or praying about the next steps. If you have a heart to be in ministry, we want you to learn ministry at Ground zero. My two interns that are here now, logan and Elena. Logan is over the buildings and facilities and man, he takes it seriously. It is a ministry to this guy. He's in his early 20s, but man, he is a hard working man of God who is serving this church and serving this community through keeping the grass cut, doing all the things he does around here, and he does it as a ministry. He also helps some with media, because we don't have a media guy right now. Elena is helping as the worship intern, and she takes it seriously. Planning center, running practices, communicating with Is, they're getting ground zero training on how to lead a ministry team. And I'm taking my hands off of it. I'm there to lead and to help them and to advise them. But they are the ministry team leaders. As also for men, for young men. We are providing dorm style housing here on location in Asheville, which is an offset we obviously can't pay right now for interns, but we are providing this as a way for you to learn ministry. We're encouraging all of our interns to get jobs in the local area and spend the majority of your time in the community, work in a job, but also spend a few hours a week with your ministry team working on that. So, interns, young people, 18 to 26 years old, a little bit of flexibility on that, but interested in serving full time in ministry. One day, come get started with a church plant and see how it starts from day one. [00:52:21] Speaker C: Hey, by the way, that also means they get to live in Asheville. [00:52:25] Speaker B: Yes. [00:52:25] Speaker C: Which one day will give them great. [00:52:28] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:52:29] Speaker C: And they sit down and tell the stories to their kids and their grandkids. The other thing is, in Asheville, you learn to live the gospel as a lifestyle for the sake of reaching people that will help them in life and in ministry going forward for the rest of their lives. So it's a pretty good offer when you stop and think about it. And there's lots of employment opportunities there. And again, a desperate need for the gospel. [00:52:56] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:52:56] Speaker B: And we're hoping that one day soon we'll have some sort of housing option for young ladies, because we do need some more young ladies to come and be a part of that. But right now, obviously, we're not going to put boys and girls in the same dorm. So although Asheville would be okay with that, we're not okay with that. So we're looking for some options of maybe getting a house where five or six girls could live together and with some sort of house parent or something like that. So help us pray about that. But guys, this is my heartbeat. [00:53:25] Speaker A: Well, guys, it has been awesome to be back on the podcast with you in episode 164. And here we go. We're pressing towards 200 and beyond. I don't know why 200 is the number that's stuck in my brain, but that's where we're at right now. So, hey, be sure to go like subscribe and give us a review on YouTube. You can also go to Apple, Spotify and Amazon. Leave us a review like subscribe. We either have five stars or one star, so you either love us or hate us, but I don't care. You can leave a review and we'll thank you for doing that. All right. Hey, it's been a good week and we'll be sure to see you here next week. All right? You all have a good week. [00:54:06] Speaker C: Be sweet. [00:54:07] Speaker B: All right. We jumped the gun just a little bit on that, but. [00:54:13] Speaker A: Thanks for listening to the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast. Be sure to stop by our social media, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Give us a follow. Also go to our website, recoveringfundamentalist.org. That's recoveringfundamentalist.org. There you can find recovering fundamentalist swag. You can get your t shirts and hats. You can join our X fundy community, see where we're going to be having some meetups. It's the recoveringfundamentalist.org. Be sure to join us next time for the Recovering Fundamentalist podcast. Sam.