Apostolic Voice with Ryan French

Ryan interviews MS District Youth President & Evangelist Darrell Bates about the difference between godly connections and carnal connections in student ministry. You can find Darrell's original article from the Apostolic Voice blog (www.ryanafrench.com) called Connection vs. Carnality - In Student Ministry here. Darrell draws from his long and successful tenure as a Youth Leader, Youth Pastor, and Youth President in this fascinating conversation. TOPICS: Finding your call to the ministry. How to follow another dynamic leader. What is the correct role of a Youth Pastor or Youth Leader? The importance of making godly connections with students. The importance of shunning carnal leanings in student ministry. The case for fully apostolic life-impacting student ministry that is unashamed and red hot. 

Ryan examines the cause and effect of rampant carnality sweeping through American churches like a virus and coins the phrase "COVID-Carnality" to describe it. This episode is based on the article COVID CARNALITY: THE CAUSE & CURE at www.ryanafrench.com. Also, Ryan takes a look back at the Top 10 Articles of 2020 from Apostolic Voice.

Every spiritual battle is fought in the mind first. Ryan gives fifteen powerful shields that protect the mind and give victory over inner struggles. This episode is based on the article 15 Ways to Win the Battle Within at www.ryanafrench.com.

Special guest Pastor Shannon Thornhill talks with Ryan about the highs and lows of starting a church from scratch in Hernando, MS. You can read Ryan's TAKEAWAYS from this conversation at https://ryanafrench.com/takeaways-from-church-planting-a-walk-of-faith-podcast-episode-7/. TOPICS COVERED: The importance of Divine calling, how to stay encouraged in discouraging times, evangelism, outreach, ethics, the importance of starting new churches in unchurched cities, and how to bless a church planter. On that note, you can send a message to Desoto Life Church at www.desotolifeupc.org.

From the original blog article, It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christ... this episode examines what genuine repentance looks like from a Christmas perspective. Topics covered: Holiness, repentance, baptism in Jesus' name, and the infilling of the Holy Ghost. Ryan looks at the perceptual dichotomy of the winter in the natural, repentance in the spiritual, and the cross of Christ. Two Christmas readings included: If Jesus Came to Your House and The Christmas Guest two classics that are sure to warm your heart.

Ryan discusses all the secular and Christian objections to celebrating the Christmas season. He defends the position that it is good and proper for Christians to celebrate the miraculous event of the Messiah's birth. BONUS: Ryan defends the oneness of God from the perspective of Christ's birth. All this information is based on the original article Should Christians Celebrate Christmas? This episode features two poems: A Christmas Carol by Christina Rossetti and Christmas Bells by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow which most recognize in song form I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas!

Today Ryan discusses the controversial question of whether or not Christians should dye their hair. Taken from the original Apostolic Voice blog article Should Christians Dye Their Hair? Ryan approaches the question of hair dye from the perspective of how Scripture speaks of hair in general, the spiritual significance of the crown of glory, and the prophetic and spiritually powerful significance of hair in the Bible. Ryan does a quick dive into the history and modern promotion of hair dye and takes a practical look at hair dye too. The episode culminates with a biblical discussion of vanity and how to understand what vanity really means. A doubleheader of poetry is featured: The Nativity by GK Chesterton and Every Hair By Number by Deborah Ann. 

Does it matter how we dress for church? Does God care how we dress in general? Ryan examines these controversial topics in detail from his viral article also titled Should We Still Dress Our Best For Church (www.ryanafrench.com)? Ryan also features the poem Modesty (author unknown).

Ryan unmasks four areas of concern COVID-19 exposed: Our religious freedoms are in serious jeopardy, lots of Christians are hypocrites when it comes to issues of authority, a realistic path to a one-world government, and the socialistic disregard for local church government. Ryan features a favorite famous poem Death and his Brother Sleep by Edwin Milliken. From the www.ryanafrench.com article Unmasked (Cogent COVID Thoughts).

Ryan shares the inspiration behind his poem The Burden of Truth and gives a dramatic reading of it as well. Also, Ryan features a powerful poem by Scott Cairns called Recitation. Finally, a look at the subject of the Kingdom of God from the book Preaching to a Shifting Culture. Can a Christian live with the tension of being in the culmination and the coming of God's Kingdom at the same time?