Amity Podcast with Jono & Lauren
By Jono and Lauren Macfarlane
Amity (noun): "friendship, mutual understanding and peaceful harmony, especially between nations."
Amity Podcast with Jono & LaurenMar 23, 2021
Religion or Relationship?
In this episode we talk through the question of whether Christianity is a religion or a relationship. Folks will more often lean to the relationship side and describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious" or having a relationship with Jesus but no need of the religion. We chat through these view points and look at portions of James 1, Acts 11, and more.
We discuss this famous spoken word YouTube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IAhDGYlpqY
Jono has preached on this topic from Acts 11 here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ILjId7qGo0
Our Instagram page can be found here https://www.instagram.com/amitypodcast/
NEW: Life update, Church plant and Church distinctives
35. Book Review - The Wounded Healer
34. We're Back: Life Recap, Pandemic Response and Church Realities
33: What Are You Reading and Thinking About? #1
Sometimes we don't have a topic at hand in order to do a deep dive, but we're always reading, thinking and talking. So this is the first episode in an irregular series where we just open our front door as it were, and allow you a glimpse into our conversations.
We talk about reading fiction, preparing to study and preach sermons, and more! We then spend quite a lot of time discussing the topic of "common grace" and end by talking about some of Jono's reading on authoritarianism, power and abuse in the church.
Thanks for listening!! If you have any topic suggestions, comments or questions, contact us via our instagram @amitypodcast
Check out the Kaisis podcast series on Common Grace https://kaisis.buzzsprout.com/1660195/8640216-the-kingdom-of-god-and-common-grace
We recommend Dr. Diane Langberg's book "Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church."
32: Knowing God's Will
We're back! Or at least we hope we're back. And we're talking through the topic of knowing God's will. This is a topic Jono has preached on several times but we find it's a frequent question on people's minds. We hope this episode can encourage you as you walk in the grace and freedom God has blessed you with.
We recommend checking out the Kaisis podcast' especially their episodes on Common Grace https://kaisis.buzzsprout.com/1660195/8640216-the-kingdom-of-god-and-common-grace
Kevin DeYoung's book :Just Do Something" is also a helpful resource on this issue.
31: Lament
While the word "lament" is a common one and widely used in even secular contexts, we think it's a discipline that's not practiced as much within the church as we need it to be. Lament is biblical, helpful and even necessary for our journey through the trials of this world. We hope you are encouraged as we talk through Psalm 13 and the issue of how we bring our distress and complaints to the Lord.
We mention the book "Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy" by Mark Vroegop and the book "Gentle and Lowly" by Dane Ortlund.
We also recommend listening to the Theology Gals episode on grief http://theologygals.com/2020/06/grief/
And these podcast interviews with Tish Harrison Warren https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/podcasts/cultivated/tish-harrison-warren-how-grief-is-our-companion-in-christia.html and https://thelaymenslounge.com/tish-harrison-warren-real-talk-on-prayer-in-everyday-life/
30: Pre-Marital Counseling?
Pre-marital counseling has become quite the norm for churched couples seeking to get married. But is it truly essential? Is it actually helpful? We discuss why pre-marital maybe a good idea and how we walk through it with couples, a bit of our own experience with pre-marital, and why relationship, mentoring and even counseling AFTER the wedding is really the most helpful. While there's no perfect marriage book, we do recommend "The Meaning of Marriage" by Tim and Kathy Keller.
29: Big News, A Ramble, A Rant and a Little Review
We began this episode planning to get to our topic, but we ended up just talking. So 7 minutes in we decided to just go for it! Here's a taste of what we talk about. We do share some big news for our family, Jono goes on a bit of a rant and we discuss the book "The Great Sex Rescue" by Sheila Gregoire.
Listen to the interview Theology Gals did with Sheila Gregoire here http://theologygals.com/2021/05/the-great-sex-rescue-with-sheila-gregoire/
And check out Sheila's podcast here https://tolovehonorandvacuum.com/category/snippets/podcasts/
28 [Sermon Look Back]: Thoughts On Singing
This episode is part sermon look back and part topical because we've been meaning to do an episode on the subject of SINGING. Specifically, corporate singing. Our foundational passage is Colossians 3:15-16 as we talk though the whys, whats, and weirdness of singing.
Watch the sermon here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAZyWmZYnF0&t=2378s
27: A Quick Catch-up and a Conversation about Leisure
26 [Sermon Look Back] Value
Aaaand we're back! A short break from the podcast due to travel turned into a longer break, but here we are getting back in the groove. We're looking back to 2 sermons ago; Jono's second-to-last sermon in the Gospel Culture series, on the image of God. We both find this topic so mind-blowing and exciting (as you can see from the length of this episode!). We hope this episode gets you thinking, studying, and even talking about this truth more. And ultimately, may it lead us all to love God and love neighbor.
If you'd like to watch the sermon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwSenjketV8
Or just listen to the sermon https://www.buzzsprout.com/4016/8531140-genesis-value-1-27
25: [Sermon Look Back] Restore
Let's talk about church discipline.... whew. Really the heart of what we're discussing is restoration, and it fits right in with the rest of the Gospel Culture series Jono has been preaching through. We're not doing a big deep dive in this episode, so we suggest listening to the actual sermon for more in-depth study on the topic, and on the passage (Matthew 18).
Listen to Sunday sermons on https://www.buzzsprout.com/4016 Watch the sermon here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhUJ017O-_s
24: The Four-Fold State of Man
Recently some of our church homegroups had a discussion night to talk through the "Four-Fold State of Man" so we thought we'd record an episode on the same topic. We're using Puritan Thomas Boston's (1676-1732) language, and Boston was expounding upon Augustine (354-430). We don't mention any other specific resources, but if you'd like to read Boston's full work , you can find it on Monergism https://www.monergism.com/human-nature-its-fourfold-state-ebook and there's a super succinct podcast episode here https://www.5minutesinchurchhistory.com/bostons-fourfold-state/
23: Over-Realized Eschatology
We begin our episode by quickly defining our terms, because "over-realized eschatology" is a mouthful. We then dive in to the ramifications this mindset has for how we view corporate worship, how we live the Christian life and especially how we struggle, and even suffer.
We are immensely thankful to Michael Horton for all his writing on this topic and we specifically reference his book "A Better Way." Monergism has a great selection of books and resources on the "Already/Not Yet" tension in which we live www.monergism.com/topics/eschatology/already not-yet
22: {Sermon Look Back} Christian Liberty
It's time for another sermon look back! We continue talking through the Gospel Culture series, this time we're touching on Christian liberty. It can be a dicey topic in many circles, and we're not here to give you all the answers. As you listen to/watch the sermon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2sPEiu4mmI and listen to this episode, our aim is that you can study Paul's words in Romans 13 and 14 (and the rest of Scripture!), and exercise your freedom in Christ within the boundaries of loving God and neighbor.
21: Christian Testimony & Trajectory [Lauren's Edition] Part 2
In this 2nd part covering Lauren's testimony of growing in faith and doctrine, we try not to get too bogged down in details like the first episode. So consider this a super condensed version of the last 10+ years. We tried to focus on the hope and joy Reformed doctrine has brought as our understanding of the Gospel, grace, the church, and God's character have both expanded and deepened. The Lord has used His church, His word, the blessing of being married to one another, and even the trials we've faced together to grow our faith and deepen our love. Let us know via our instagram if you have any further questions or would like clarification! And in the coming weeks we'll be delving into Jono's edition too so stay tuned!
20: Christian Testimony & Trajectory [Lauren's Edition] Part 1
We're going to delve into our Christian testimonies and our trajectories of doctrine and life as believers. In this first episode, Lauren talks through her childhood up through her first year at Bible College. This is a mix of personal story and how struggles with sin and lack of assurance played a role as growing up. You'll hear bits of specific doctrines mentioned, but over the next several episodes as we each share our stories, we'll fill in some missing gaps and explain more where we are now, together. If youve listened through some of the earlier episodes you'll have a pretty good idea where we are, but here's a bit more about where we've come from.
19 {Sermon Look Back} Speak Grace
We're discussing the fifth message in our Gospel Culture series from Ephesians 4:25 and 29, and it's all about speech. While there's nothing particularly new in what we're talking about, these issues of the heart and tongue are truly some of the most prominent in our daily lives as Christians. And so, reminders are always helpful!
Catch up on the sermon here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc9oEPpJKgM Paul Tripp also has a great video that brings home some points about what makes bad language bad https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uya9IXpwy4I
18: A Contrast - Pietism and Confessionalism
17: [Sermon Look Back] Welcome and Honour
We continue on in our Gospel Culture sermon series at Christ Sanctuary. This week Jono preached on two sections from Romans; Romans 12:10 and Romans 15:7 on the topics of Welcome and Honour. In this sermon look back we're trying something a little different and spend less time recapping the sermon, and a little more time on application or some things that didn't quite make it into the sermon. Let us know what you prefer!
You can watch the sermon on Christ Sanctuary's YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49-z0U45jSY
And during the episode we recommended an episode of the Kaisis podcast https://kaisis.buzzsprout.com/1660195/8259125-the-kingdom-of-god-and-finding-a-good-church
16: (BONUS episode) Making the Decision to Move Rural
*A fun extra episode* We've gotten a couple questions about how/why we made the decision a year and a half ago to move out of town and get a "lifestyle block" or little "homestead." This is just a little chat on the process of buying our property, how we wrestled through some of the pushback, and what we enjoy about living the rural lifestyle (the animals!)
If you like pictures of animals, scenic views, and want to keep up to date with our homesteading adventures, feel free to follow along on instagram @upthefarlane
15: A Free-flowing Conversation on Parenting (the Reluctant Episode)
Well folks, we're going THERE. And by "there" we mean, parenting. This was a requested topic that we were at first reluctant to talk about because... we're not experts and every family is different! So as we once again sit down at our kitchen table for a chat, we seek to share some big-picture principles for how we parent and set family culture. There's very little how-to or actual application in this episode; we just want to be encouraging to you and urge you to do your own research, have your own conversations and make your own goals as you are guided by the Lord and His Word.
While we mention a couple parenting books in this episode, we're not going to link any of them in this episode as there are so many good ones out there to choose from, though no single one is perfect. We do however recommend checking out the https://www.risenmotherhood.com/podcast for many helpful episodes, resources and blog posts. As well as http://theologygals.com/episodes/ and their episodes on parenting, "Parenting Teenagers" and "Parenting in the Pews"
14: Hearing Loss - Jono's Story
We put Jono a little out of his comfort zone and ask him to tell his story of hearing loss from childhood. If you know Jono as an adult you might not realize the extent of his deafness, or know the full story. So have a listen and hear him discuss what happened and how it shaped his childhood and his adult life, his attitude about it all, and his perspective about it as a Christian.
13: [Sermon Look Back] Walk in the Light
If you didn't catch the sermon or would like to listen again www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKqdPyTWMQk
12: Worst Advice + Best Advice: Jono's Edition
It's Jono's turn to discuss the good, the bad and the ugly...pieces of advice that is! Our conversation journeys through talks of pastoral platform building, common sense lessons when you want to learn something new, and then a more personal delve into one of the hardest decisions he's ever made. Once again, it's ministry and marriage; two of our very favourite topics to talk through together!
11: [Sermon Look Back] Gospel Centrality
LIsten to the sermon here www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjD7ZsMeqHs
If you have any comments or questions, message us on our instagram amitypodcast
10: Worst Advice + Best Advice: Lauren's Edition
On this episode we talk about a piece of bad advice, which provides a jumping off point for our conversation about ministry and marriage. Then we talk about the good advice and how its shaped our view of friendship and mentorship. And next week week we'll talk though some bad advice + good advice that Jono has received.
Some reccs mentioned in the episode: Christine Hoover's "By Faith" podcast https://www.christinehoover.net/podcast-1 and specific episodes on friendship for moms https://www.christinehoover.net/podcast-1/episode/30fef50a/emily-jensen-and-laura-wifler-on-friendship-for-moms and loneliness and friendship https://www.christinehoover.net/podcast-1/episode/30521e9e/lore-ferguson-wilbert-on-loneliness-and-friendship
Aimee Byrd's book "Why Can't We Be Friends?" from P&R Publishing
09: [Sermon Look Back] Psalm 23
To listen/watch the sermon, visit Christ Sanctuary's youtube page www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGDL_aihOZk
08: 10 Questions You Might Want to Know About Your Pastor but Haven't Asked Yet {part 2}
07: 10 Questions You Might Want to Know About Your Pastor but Haven't Asked Yet {part 1}
06: [Sermon Look Back] Build on the Rock + SOTM wrap up
You can watch the sermon here www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcWYPrcCnOA
Podcasts mentioned: kaisis.buzzsprout.com/ and theologygals.com/2021/03/the-kingdom-of-god-with-todd-and-osbaldo-kaisis-podcast/
05: So You Changed Your Statement of Faith
In this episode, we (mostly Jono) discuss our church's recent decision to change the Statement of Faith. Yes, this was a requested episode!
Jono explains what the change was, and then we talk about the pastoral, missional, doctrinal and personal reasons this change was made. While these podcast episodes are largely informal, there were years of study, prayer and discussion before this decision was reached and obviously a more formal process of bringing it before our church and working it out as members with the elders. All of that process would be impossible to condense into one episode, but we hope we've hit some of the main points here. We don't have any specific recommendations to mention in this episode, but feel free to reach out with questions on our Instagram page.
04: [Sermon Look Back] False Prophets on the Narrow Way
We look back on this past Sunday's sermon from Matthew 7:15-23. This is a sobering and heavy topic, and we get a bit worked up as we talk about wolves, false teaching, and predators within the church. We touch on the horrific details that have come out of the investigations into the late Ravi Zacharias' life and ministry, and though we went longer than we'd planned, we hope you can wrestle through some of these heavy issues alongside us.
Watch the full sermon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4TZDcqUXJU
Statement from the RZIM board https://www.rzim.org/read/rzim-updates/board-statement
More on the RZ investigation https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/february/ravi-zacharias-rzim-investigation-sexual-abuse-sexting-rape.html
03: Book Review - Faithful Doubt
-A thorough and helpful book review from Timothy Padgett breakpoint.org/faithful-doubt-a-book-reflection/
-Check out the book: www.storied.pub/books/faithful-doubt
-Another article on the topic of faith and doubt from Laura Wifler wellwateredwomen.com/faith-in-seasons-of-doubt/ And check out Laura's instagram www.instagram.com/laurawifler/?hl=en for more of her writings on the topic of doubt.
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02: [Sermon Look Back] Enter by the Narrow Gate
We begin our weekly mini-series called 'Sermon Look Back' where we take the time to talk through some of the previous week's sermon. This gives Jono the opportunity to deep dive into some points that maybe he didn't get to cover as much as he would've liked, or discuss some questions/objections.
Here we look back on the sermon entitled "Enter by the Narrow Gate" from Matthew 7:13-14
You may here some audio disruption thanks to a child opening a door, and the dog bursting through the cat door.... it's real life, and we're just a couple of parents sitting at our kitchen table!
We finish the episode by reading a lengthy quote from the great Dr. R.C.Sproul. Excerpt from "Reason To Believe" pages 41-43
Watch the sermon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma60_FdCBUA
01: The Inaugural Episode
We start off light-hearted and a little awkward, go through some ice breaker questions and then get a little deeper as we talk about preaching, ministry life and church growth. We can't wait to unpack more of these topics in future episodes.
Podcasts we recommended in this episode:
-Two Aged Sojourner twoagesojourner.com/
-the Glory Cloud podcast meredithkline.com/podcast/
-Theology Gals theologygals.com/
-Risenmotherhood www.risenmotherhood.com/
Books we recommended in this episode:
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Faithful Doubt by Travis Scott