Unsexy Church

Season 3 Episode 9: “Must-Goes” & Questions

• First Baptist Tampa • Season 3 • Episode 9

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The Unsexy Church Podcast

New episodes drop every Wednesday Morning

ABOUT THE PODCAST

The Unsexy Church is a weekly podcast exploring the real, everyday life within our church family. Each week, join Pastor Bob (Senior Pastor) and Darren (Worship & Discipleship Pastor) as they sit down to discuss a wide variety of subjects—from deep theological questions to the practical, often "unsexy" work of following Jesus and building a healthy local church.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO THRIVE?

We want to help every person make a genuine commitment to follow Jesus and then follow through with that commitment in Connecting People to a Thriving Life in Christ. These Thriving disciples should Dig In to the Bible, Grow Up in Christ, and Branch Outinto the community.

Our Mission: To Connect People to a Thriving Life in Christ. What is a thriving life in Christ? Scripture says that Jesus Christ came “that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” Our mission in the city of Tampa is to make disciples who follow the pattern of the believer in Psalm 1 and desire God’s glory above all things.

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Welcome And Mission

SPEAKER_00

Hey everybody. Welcome back to the Unsexy Church Podcast. Podcast from First Baptist Church of Tampa, Florida. I'm joined, as always, by producer Extraordinaire Jordan. How are you doing?

SPEAKER_02

Hello. Very good.

On-This-Day Fun Facts

SPEAKER_00

Very good. Excellent. And as always, Pastor Bob. Hey, Darren. Good to see you this morning. Good to see you, sir. Mondays always come fast, don't they? They do tend to come around quite often. Yeah. Like this is uh this is a uh a quick turnaround from Sunday for us, but uh excited to be here with you guys. Remember, FBC Tampa, our mission is to connect people to a thriving life with Christ, and we strive to do that in everything we do, even in the Unsexy Church podcasts. So uh I've got a few uh I've I have two fun facts for you today.

SPEAKER_01

All right, we always start off with these fun facts on this day, right?

SPEAKER_00

These these are things that happen on this day in 04 and 05.

SPEAKER_01

You guys know what what happened on February the 16th, 16th, 2004 and 2005?

What Are “Must-Goes”?

SPEAKER_00

No. It it it was the cancellation of the NHL's whole season, the 04-05 season, due to a labor dispute. Labor dispute first time ever a professional sports league had canceled a whole season. Yeah, that was good. Also in 1923, uh they unsealed the tomb of you and I, Bob, would know this person as King Tut because of Steve Martin. I won't sing it, I promise. Buried in his gym, yeah. He's my favorite. Okay, yeah. Oh man, born in Babylonna. Yeah. Anyway, yeah, uh, but uh Tutung Common, his tomb was unsealed this day. Releasing the curse. Exactly. That's what a lot of people thought, right? In 1923. So a couple fun facts. Uh today we'll talk about curses maybe uh a little bit later. Okay. Today's is just a today's a super, it's just gonna be a very different episode. We don't really necessarily have one topic. We're gonna call this the must-goes. And you might ask me, what is a must-go? What's a must-go, Darren? Must-go is when I come home uh from work and Mandy comes home from work, and it's the end of the week, and I ask what's for dinner, and she says, Everything in the refrigerator must go. Okay. It is a, you know, we just take all the leftovers from the week and we make a meal out of it.

SPEAKER_01

So we're cleaning out the fridge today.

Communion Mid-Service Reflections

SPEAKER_00

We're cleaning out the fridge. Okay. This is the must-goes. Uh, we have questions that we've received. And we appreciate those questions when they come in. Yeah, we want you to send your questions. Don't forget to send those. Uh, you can see that on Instagram. You can DM us uh any question you have. We'll do our best to answer them. Um, so we're gonna have questions today about a variety of topics, and then we're also gonna talk about this last weekend, a few things that we did here at FBC Tampa, maybe talk about your sermon a little bit. And it's just gonna be uh kind of a hodgepodge. You know, when you take everything out of the refrigerator, the dinner looks very interesting. Jordan and I shall follow your lead. Oh man. Lead on, oh faithful ones. Scary. All right. So we again, this is Monday. Uh yesterday was our it was Sunday. So we had a interesting day, I think, at FBC Tampa. It was a full day, it was full, right? So uh we celebrated the Lord's Supper together, which we do about five times a year here normally. And um a lot of times we uh will have the the whole service builds up to the Lord's Supper. Um, and and we do it at the end of the service. Uh this this past yet yesterday we did it um in the middle of the service. Right. And it was a little bit it was a little bit different. Is uh what what were your thoughts about that? We talked about this a little bit, but um, did you like that? Did you uh hate that? What what were your thoughts?

SPEAKER_01

Yes and no. I uh I I loved part of it, and part of it was just a logistical struggle for us. But uh, we whenever we do the Lord's Supper, we try to make it the focus of the day. We don't want it to feel like a tack on or just an addition to what we're doing. So whether it's we do it at the front end, the back end, or in the middle, we want it to be a very meaningful time. Um and so uh typically, as you said, we we'll build up to it, we'll preach and then do a time of response and then head into the Lord's Supper. And this time we just felt um, because we're going through this sermon series, the sermon didn't naturally lead into uh a time of Lord's Supper. So we said, well, let's let's separate that from the message and just do a time that focuses on that. So from that standpoint, I I thought it was really good um just to to kind of early on after that time of reflection and Bible reading and prayer and and and singing to just go straight to it. So from that standpoint, I I enjoyed it.

Shorter Sermon And Service Flow

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I thought it was um I didn't feel some of the pressure that I might feel normally when you get toward the end of a service, you can tell some folks are they're they're ready, yeah. They're ready, right? They're ready, they're ready to go home, and there's pressure to maybe cut things short, maybe end it before you're I think the spirit's re really ready for us to end that to end that time. And so I didn't feel we we didn't feel as rushed yesterday throughout throughout the Lord's Supper. And so I thought there was a good time of of self-examination and and a great time of just being able to reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus. And you as always did a fantastic job of leading us through through that time. And uh so I thought that was pretty cool. Um the the the con may be that um I don't know, some of you may not think it's a con. I think it's a con, but uh I think Bob Pastor Bob preached a record short sermon. Because by the time we got we uh by the time we got the service to to you, right, um we were well well into our our allotted time. And I you may have felt more pressure to st to to end.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know what I don't know that I felt pressure to end. I knew I was gonna have less time than normal, so I I prepared that way, but I always prepare more than I need. So um I I didn't feel necessarily rushed through it, although I as I was preaching, there were things that I did not say that I intended to say, and so I had to kind of parse through that. But that that to me was less awkward than just I and you and I were probably the only ones that felt it. It was just the flow of service and the transitions from one aspect of service to the next was just somewhat clunky for me and you as we went through it.

Widow And Widower Lunch

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, yeah. So we'll we'll work on that, folks. We'll we'll we'll smooth that that out, right? Yeah. Oh man. But I I thought it was a really good day. Another cool thing that we do uh, you know, once a year during the Valentine's Day uh season, um, is we we have a widow widower lunch after after service. And I mean, I just think that that's a good time. Why, why did you I mean, why did we start doing that?

SPEAKER_01

You know, Darlene and I uh just felt compelled, I don't know, maybe 10 years ago now or longer, I don't remember how long ago, just to uh in our multi-generational congregation, there's just a group of people that Valentine's Day isn't a day of celebration, it's a it's a sad day. It's tough. It's a it's a tough day for them for having lost um spouses. And so we just uh several years ago, we just invited them our to our house and we did a dinner with them at the house, and then it's grown since then. Uh, but it's really just an opportunity for us as a church to to tell people that they are loved and that that we love them and care for them. And so it's grown, and and and the team did a great job yesterday. You did a great job yesterday with that.

SPEAKER_00

And uh the decorations were were were nice, it the tables looked great. Uh we used real plates, no, you know, none of that paper plate stuff, right? Yeah, we it was uh it was a really nice time. I think uh, like you said, the the folks that were there really enjoyed being there together. Um our deacons did a fantastic job serving and and taking care and just talking with people. Our kitchen team did did a great job. The meal was excellent, and I just thought it was a good it was a good day.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I think everybody involved it. Lauren and her team did a great job setting it up and decorating it. The deacons, as you mentioned, did a great job serving, and they do a great job of keeping track of our widows and widowers on a regular basis anyway. So they they have a relationship and they invest in there, and then uh Matt and his team with food service did just a stand-up job yesterday.

SPEAKER_00

So just kind of a natural out outgrowth of who the deacons are, right?

SPEAKER_01

And our very own Darren did the entertaining, he did some songs and some trivia, did a great job. Uh they really enjoyed it. It was fun.

Where New Believers Should Start

SPEAKER_00

It was a good time. Yeah, maybe next uh I will next year I may add verses to the song. I gotta screen them a little bit, they're a little too sexy for uh for what we do around here. But uh yeah, that that was a that was a good a good time for sure. Um, we've got a few questions. I'm gonna start with one question we have from a a uh longtime listener, first, first time questioner, whatever. Uh uh, I think I I don't I'm not gonna say names, I guess. I don't probably don't need to say names, but the this listener one what's where's the best place to start in scripture if you're a new believer? Like if you you want to read the Bible, sure. Um, man, where where you have a new believer in your life, you're you're discipling them, you're trying to help them walk with Christ. Uh, where would you point a a new believer to to start?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so I wanted to be funny and you know, start in the Leviticus and Numbers. Probably not the best place to start. Although I wouldn't avoid it, but it'd not be the first. So yeah, I would start uh probably in the Gospels. Yeah. Uh more than likely John. Just uh you can't go wrong in any of the gospels. Uh but John, Mark, Matthew, Luke, of course.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Um any of those are just gonna lay out the um the life and ministry and purpose of Christ.

SPEAKER_00

Right. No, I think that's great. I uh usually I will start with the book of John, sometimes Mark, um, but one of those two gospels are kind of my my go-to. Why is that why do you think that's an important place, or why is that our go-to?

SPEAKER_01

Why why would you say I I would say the gospels summarize the entire Bible, right? Right. So the gospels are the meta-narrative of of Scripture, the whole story of Scripture just boiled down into this one story um that tells us about who Jesus is, um why he came, what he did. Right, right. So and that's why John is so important because it starts off with telling us who he is and why he came and what he's accomplished. So yeah, I I I would say thank any of the gospels, John's probably the go-to for those reasons. Yeah, for sure.

Why Preach Through Mark Slowly

SPEAKER_00

Um our church does, it provides a Bible reading plan. I think it's important that no matter who you are, new believer, old believer, that you're spending time in the Word every day. You don't have to do the FBC Tampa Bible reading plan, but but it's good to have a systematic plan to because sometimes you just don't know where to start, right? And so uh our plan would we'll get you through the Bible in a year and we'll take you through all the genres. It's not chronological necessarily, but but you'll read some of the some of each genre every day. And so um I think it's a good if you need a plan to start, that's a great, a great way to start getting into the word of God by having a systematic plan. And if you haven't started that already, just pick up the plan and start where where you are. And that's not not a big deal, yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_01

And and don't don't be so attached to the plan that you get defeated when you skip a day or miss a day or just get back on the horse. Just get back on the horse. Just do something, right? Exactly.

SPEAKER_00

Get back into reading. So I know some guy I know like Trent, uh, Pastor Trent, who's in Knoxville now. Uh, we sent him out to plant a church there. The he used to help host the unsexy church. Um, depending like if you're witnessing to someone, if you are uh or if you have someone who's skeptical, he will he would suggest probably take them to Luke. Uh just kind of seems um that's a gospel that's written to a skeptic. Okay. So that might be helpful, yeah, helpful as well. So shout out to Trent. Um, we love you, but we don't miss you. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. We miss you. We do miss you. Hey, um, so we're talking about the gospels. You're preaching through one of the gospels. Um, you're preaching through the book of Mark.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

All last year, Bob, you preached to the book of Mark, and you only got us to chapter chapter eight. Yes. It took you a year to get through half of the book of Mark. And it'll take me this year to get rid of the most of the other. I was talking to someone last night, matter of fact, and they were we just talk about preaching and preaching schedule, and I said, Well, you know, we're gonna be in the book of Mark the rest of the year. He's like, really? Like two years in the book of Mark. Like, yeah, man. And so uh why, first of all, why the book of Mark? Why two years? And you're never gonna get it done in 27-minute sermons.

SPEAKER_01

No, no, no. Um there's there's multiple answers to that that question. Uh, the simple is I am committed to expositional preaching, and I'm also committed to consecutive expositional preaching. So expositional preaching is just uh preaching that explains the text of the Bible by explaining what the text of the Bible says. So it's drawing out the intended meaning of the author. So it's making sure we're putting the Bible in context uh so that we can properly observe it and then properly interpret it. Um I think the best way to do that is through exposition, just preaching through books of the Bible, start in chapter one, verse one, and work your way through it wherever you leave off, you pick up the next week. Right. So I'm committed to that. I think it's the most uh faithful form of presenting the the text. I don't think it's the only way. I I think it's the it's the the best way. And and there's a lot of reasons why I do that, and maybe we can have a full podcast to explain that. That sounds very unsexy. It does, doesn't it? But but there's reasons behind it, and they're theological reasons, and then they're convictions of mine. So now we take a break from that, you know. We we do a different series within a series. So the first Sunday ever of the month is is is different. Um but even those are expositional messages, they're just you know, not going through the gospel of Mark. So that's the big picture of why we do it. The the second picture is as I went through what I've taught in my 17 years here, I've tried to preach through the entirety of God's word, and I had not done a full treatment of the Gospel of Mark. I'd I'd preached in parts of it, but I've never preached through it. And so I was wanting to go into a gospel and go through that. And then I just determined I was not gonna rush through it. I wasn't gonna try to go a chapter at a time. I was just gonna take the stories as they're presented, the pericopes as they're called, and just use those and not rush through it. The what's the point? And so let's let's just kind of slow down and and look at it because I think it will help people understand and retain the context in the story if it's con if we're just picking up where we left off and building and building. So those are the reasons why.

unknown

Cool.

Sermon Recap: Power Through Prayer

SPEAKER_00

I I loved yesterday's sermon. I thought you know, the the main point it's just something I need to be reminded of every every day, trying to do God's work or spiritual things with my own resources, talent, and ability, which all come from the Lord, right? But trying to do those things in my own strength, um, man, I'll always, always fail, right? So uh you want to kind of give us a synopsis of yesterday's sermon, just a brief overview. Yesterday's was a brief overview.

SPEAKER_01

Um yeah, yeah. So we're we're in Mark chapter 9. Uh it is after Jesus has taken Peter, James, and John up on the Mount of Transfiguration, he's revealed his glory to them. Uh, they've seen Moses and Elijah speaking to God, speaking to Jesus about the crucifixion and his mission. They've heard the voice of God. They've now come down off that mountain, even though they wanted to stay up there. They've come down off that mountain and they encounter the nine other disciples being um harassed by the scribes. Um, and a father crying out, Jesus, I brought my son who is demon-possessed to you. Your disciples could not cast him out. Yeah. Um, if you're willing, or if you're able. If you're able, if you're able, would would you have pity on us? Would you have mercy on us? Uh and Jesus uh questions the man about his faith. What do you mean, if I'm able, uh I'm able? If I can, if I can, yeah, I I I can do this. Do you believe I can do this? Uh so he has that conversation, and then he casts the demon out. And then the the disciples ask Jesus, why weren't we able to do this? Uh and Jesus' response is basically, you weren't able to do this because you tried to do it on your own. You didn't pray, you didn't talk to me. You didn't Yes, you've been able to do this in the in the past because I gave you the authority and power to do it, right? But you relied on your past experience, you relied on your past successes to be able to do it now. And so, yeah, the the the the topic of the sermon wasn't demon possession, it wasn't how to cast out demons. That's that's not the point of the text.

SPEAKER_00

I actually have a question. You Kate, you you said probably two or three times this is not a manual uh or a how-to list or whatever of you know how to cast out a demon. Right. Why why not?

Is Hypnotism Dangerous?

SPEAKER_01

Well, and when the disciples asked Jesus, why couldn't we cast this one out? Jesus' exact response was this kind can only be cast out by prayer. Right. Uh and so the assumption is that he's meaning there are certain demons that are more demonic than others, that are more powerful than others, that you have to rely on the power of God, prayer fasting to get those out. There's other demons that you're powerful enough to deal with on your own. I don't think that's the point at all. I I think the point is uh not demon possession. I don't even think the point is this is how Christians are to cast out demons. The point is you tried to do something spiritual without putting on the armor of God, without praying, without doing it with the spiritual power that's available to you.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

unknown

Right.

SPEAKER_00

So that it's kind of leads me to another question. We have a question from a uh uh from a listener. Oh, mailbag. Yep, mailbag. Um so the question is kind of along this line of um demonic activity, okay. Um is hypnotism dangerous or even satanic?

SPEAKER_01

Should maybe I I would I would say number one, yes, it's always dangerous. Number two, yes, it could be demonic or satanic. It doesn't necessarily mean it is, but it it it it could be. It could just be um a charlatan, it could be somebody who thinks they have the ability, it could be somebody that is actually using dark magic. But anytime you're dealing with the brain and consciousness and all of those things, you better be very careful with with with that. The brain is a powerful tool.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. And and like hypnotism, you're relinquishing control, control, right? And and one of the fruits of the spirit is to, you know, Galatians 5, 22, 23, have self-control. Correct. Right. And so when you're relinquishing control, you're giving someone else or something else other than God or the Holy Spirit, right? Uh free reign. Yeah. You're you're opening a door for trouble. Exactly. Um second, I wrote some scriptures down as I thought about this, like 2 Corinthians 10 5 tells us to take every thought captive into obedience for Christ. And when you're opening yourself up and letting someone else kind of guide you and take control, whatever that is, yet that's not a that you're not taking thoughts captive that that way. Uh, you know, all through the New Testament, you know, Paul reminds believers to be sober-minded, you know, and and and again, in self-control. Um, first Peter uh five, eight, he says, I'm just gonna uh paraphrase it, but you know, be sober-minded, be alert, be watchful, because your enemy is roaming around looking for you. So, in that sense, this could be a satanic thing where a demon or Satan sees that you've relinquished control and can can have you know free free reign over you. I did a little bit of research because I just thought this was interesting. That's a yeah, it's an interesting question. Yeah, um, not a lot, but uh the guy who's considered the father of hypnotism, uh Franz Anton Mesmer, we get the word mesmeriz from his last name, right? Uh, was deeply involved in occultic activity. Sure. And so, and the the way that that you're in this trance is is very similar to the way that a medium would operate or someone in in the occult. And so, I mean, the Bible has so many warnings about witchcraft, sorcery, necromancers. I just think so. I mean, and I probably I may even take a harder line than a lot of people, but I my answer to this was is just. Yes, it is dangerous. It is satanic. Sat Satan may not be coming into you, or a demon may not even be coming into you, but this is a while uh or a trick um you know that comes from your enemy. And I think that's a pr I don't know. I think this is a broader question, and maybe there's something we talk about at some point, but there's a whole realm like we've just uh in in our core group, we've been in Genesis, and we're talking about Jacob's dream where the angels are descending and ascending the the stairway, right? And there's another song there, but I won't sing it. All right. So uh anyway, and and but it just it there's this whole other realm that's always going on around us. And I think that's why Peter reminds us to be watchful, to be sober-minded, to be alert, to not give the devil any kind of foot foothold, because he is seeking whom he may devour. And if you open yourself up to that, you're fair prey, I guess, in a sense.

Discernment, Counsel, And Scripture

SPEAKER_01

Well, even going back to our sermon yesterday, while I don't think the main point was about the demons or demon possession, it it doesn't mean I don't acknowledge that that exists. Demons are real, we need to be aware of them. We need to be, you know, I think they were more active in Jesus' day in in in possession than he than they perhaps are now, but I don't know that for sure. Um and I don't believe that Christ's followers can be possessed, but they can be oppressed, and you can put yourself under their influence if you're not harassed by them. So we need to be very cautious with those things. Our our our battle is not against flesh and blood, our battle is a spiritual battle against powers and principalities. So I would say that. And like you said earlier, we need to put the armor of God on, man. Yeah, yeah, for sure. I I I would distinguish between somebody who is struggling with some things who needs some help processing those things, and they go to a faithful uh counselor who might help them think through things biblically, uh, think through things, sure, um emotionally, work through some things. Uh that is a legitimate can be a legitimate source of help. And a whole different animal than hypnotism. Absolutely. Right. But but when you start drifting over into hypnosis and those kind of things, you you've gone out of the bounds of where you need to stay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And and we get wisdom, we get insight, we get knowledge from scripture. Right. And it's powerful and it is supernatural as well. It's the the sword, right? It's the word of God. Um, you know, I I'm reminded like 2 Corinthians uh yeah 7 14 describes uh Satan and his demons appearing as angels of light. You know, because a lot of people say they'll base these kind of you know hypnoti hypnotic trances or whatever. Uh well, I had this experience and it really helped me. And it and it and I saw my mom or I saw my who who passed away you know years ago, and and I'm like, what what do you I mean I think honestly, I think Satan can camouflage and his demons can camouflage themselves as these angels of light or helpers that that can can lead us astray. So I any whatever experience you have in this, you have to take it back to scripture.

SPEAKER_01

Take it back to truth, right? Yeah, exactly. Feelings and and and experiences have to be grounded in the truth of God. Yeah, yeah. So wow. All right.

Favorite Bible Books

SPEAKER_00

That was time's ticking. That took longer than I thought, which is okay, yeah. Um, yeah. So let's just answer some more questions. Okay, we've got a few more questions. Cleaning out the fridge. Yeah, clean out the fridge, and then and then we'll it'll be we'll have lots of room for more questions. So maybe we've piqued some interest in some things, and you can keep on asking and sending your questions in. So, Bob, what is your favorite book of the Bible? Must be Mark. Currently.

SPEAKER_01

You know, I I I I don't know that I can pick a favorite. Right. Um, I I enjoy Nehemiah from a leadership standpoint. I enjoy the book of Ruth from a redemption standpoint. Um, I enjoy in the New Testament the the um letters of John. So yeah, I I don't know that I can pick a favorite, but there's some go-tos.

Should I Attend “Those” Parties?

SPEAKER_00

It's almost like when someone asks me what my favorite song is. Darren, what's your favorite song? What's your favorite worship song? Man, that just depends on the day. Depends on the mood I'm in. Who's your favorite kid? Yeah. That's easy. No, I'm just kidding. Uh no, um, I mean, yeah, it is hard. I love the Psalms. Yeah. Um, but I also love the book of Ephesians, man. I just I really like the book of Ephesians. So, you know, telling who who we are in in Christ, what is our inheritance in Christ, how we're, I mean, how we're to relate to him. Uh, just so so much good stuff in there. So, yeah, there's all kinds of that's I guess that's the best I can answer that. All right. Here's the this may be a little longer. I don't think. Is going to parties okay if you are not partaking in the sinful activities? So, first of all, I want to ask what kind of parties are you going to? I go to parties all the time. This may be a younger viewer that's riding into the I think I know what they're saying, right? Sure. Um, so is it okay to do that?

SPEAKER_01

Is that a good thing? Uh my immediate response is to go to Paul's instruction to the church that says, whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Right. So there's this Christian conscious that says this is right, this is wrong. Yeah. Um, and so can you go to that party and glorify God? I it might be hard. I I I would be cautious about putting myself in situations where I might my actions might be misconstrued. Sure. Um does that mean I can't care for the people that are there, perhaps, but I'm not sure that that's why they're at that party.

SPEAKER_00

Right.

SPEAKER_01

Right. So um I I would I would be very cautious with putting myself in positions that aren't glorifying to God.

SPEAKER_00

Well, I mean, and that's I think that's the the key. What's the purpose behind this gathering? Right? And we're we're making assumptions here, what kind of partying we're talking about. The question makes those assumptions. And so um, man, I mean, Paul warns believers there shouldn't even be a hint of immorality, uh, you know, and sexual immorality shouldn't even be mentioned among you, right? And and the just the again, I'm being general, but the music that's being played, the atmosphere and the culture um is all not to glorify, it's not there to glorify God. So the what's the purpose there? And then what's your purpose there? Is it you know, why are you there? Are you there to to be entertained and to have a good time? And so you're being entertained and having a good time uh around and with the things that don't please God, you know. Um there there's another saying out there, show me your friends, I'll show you your future. You know, the the the Proverbs read just all through the proverbs warn about hanging out with those kind of folks, right? And so again, back to your point, doesn't mean we don't love them, doesn't mean we don't care for them, doesn't even mean we can't be their friends. Um, but I think we have to be careful with the situations we, you know, right, Paul again says, if you think you stand, take heed lest you fall, especially if you're someone who has a past with with those like with alcohol or whatever it is, you're going to find yourself tempted in a way where other people may not be, and it may not be it, it's probably a very unwise thing for you to go take part in those things. I think that's a quick, a quick address addressing of it.

SPEAKER_01

But we we can only go on the question, and the question said there's sinful behavior going on, right? Yeah, that's that how it was worked.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, if you are not partaking in the sinful activity, so there is sinful behavior, sinful activity going on.

A Lighthearted Shoutout And Closing

SPEAKER_01

So scripture tells us to flee, yeah. And so often we want to ask the question how close to sin can I get without actually sinning? And that's the wrong question. Starting point. Yeah. Why would I want to get near it? Just how far should I stay away from it? Yeah, you can still love the people, yes, but but you don't need to put yourself in those positions.

SPEAKER_00

What would you what would you say to the person who says, Well, I can I can be a witness there, right? I can go and and be a witness at that party. Um, but you know, and then and even some, like I've even had some people say to me, Well, I can witness to them in a way that you can't because I somewhat partake in these things, maybe, or I am around these things and I can relate and you can't.

SPEAKER_01

You know, that that kind of a thing. I would question what witness you're giving by being there that you could not give to those same people apart from being there. Exactly.

SPEAKER_00

Yep. Yeah. That's a you know, that's an even bigger topic, I think. But uh all right. Um I have one more question. I I hesitate even. Do we have time to answer it?

SPEAKER_01

I know we're at the back end of our time here. It's fast. Is it a fast one? Yeah, you sure? But you hesitate to ask it.

SPEAKER_00

Well, just because it's very personal in nature. Um obviously, like, why is Juliana Calderon D-Dog's one and only best PA pastor's assistant? Jules is awesome. She is amazing, she is unique. We love her. She's no, she's awesome.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, she is. No, we love her.

SPEAKER_00

I'm I it she she has assisted me many times, but that's a self-designated title. She doesn't like does she have a t-shirt or a trophy or nothing like there's no, but but but I we do love her, and she is one of my favorite people for sure. Um, she's yeah, she challenges me, but she's also super fun. So, hey, we're glad that you joined us today. Don't forget to send us your questions, DM us on Instagram. Also, we have a new podcast out, and we came up with the most unsexy name we could. It's First Baptist Church Tampa Sermons. So those will drop every Monday. Make sure you check those out. And remember, as always, stay unsexy.

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Bob Block

Host
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Darren Selvidge

Host