Catechizing Conversations
Podcast Description A ministry of Victa Leadership and Lebanon Valley PCA Catechizing Conversations is a podcast devoted to teaching the historic Reformed confessions—Westminster, Heidelberg, Belgic, and more—helping believers understand and live out the deep truths of confessional Christianity. Rooted in Scripture and the rich theological tradition of the Reformation, each episode offers accessible teaching and meaningful discussion. We also feature interviews with local ministry leaders throughout Lebanon County, highlighting the work Christ is doing in our community and encouraging connection within the broader body of Christ.
Episodes
If you’ve ever looked at tragedy and thought, “Where is God in this,” you’re not alone and you’re not weak for asking. We sit down with the Westminster Confession of Faith open to Chapter 5 and take a careful, Scripture-driven walk through the doctrine of divine providence: God’s real government of the world, not a distant deity who sets things in motion and steps back. That inclu...
Nothing feels more personal than the question “Is God actually governing this,” especially when life looks chaotic or painful. We take up Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 5 on providence and slow down to define what Christians mean when we say God “upholds, directs, disposes, and governs” all things, from the greatest events of history to the smallest details of daily life. Drew Brackb...
The prosperity gospel sounds like hope until you watch what it does to people who are suffering. We sit down as pastors and ministry workers to name the core engine behind the health and wealth gospel and the Word of Faith movement: the “little gods” doctrine and the practice of positive confession, where believers are told they can speak things into existence. We connect that message to the oldest tempt...
The prosperity gospel can sound like pure encouragement, but once you test its claims against Scripture, the message starts to crack. We sit down to name four specific errors at the heart of the health and wealth gospel and the wider Word of Faith movement, and we explain why these aren’t small disagreements or “different emphases” but distortions that move the center from Christ to earthly success...
If someone tells you God’s will is always your wealth and perfect health, what does that say about Jesus, the apostles, and faithful Christians lying in hospital beds right now? We take a careful look at why the health and wealth gospel (prosperity gospel, Word of Faith teaching) is not a harmless emphasis but a different message that reshapes the meaning of faith, grace, blessing, and healing into a spiritual...
Prosperity theology doesn’t just get a few verses wrong, it shrinks the gospel until Jesus becomes a means to a better lifestyle. We open with a blunt warning: the health and wealth gospel promises what God never guaranteed, then leaves wounded people to carry the blame when the promise fails. If you’ve ever wondered why this movement keeps growing, or why it feels so convincing in the moment, we name th...
Most of us are trained to give answers fast, especially in ministry and leadership. But what if the better move is to slow down, listen longer, and ask the kind of question that helps someone finally see what is driving them? We sit down with Rev. Vincent Tauriello , pastor, professional coach, and founder of By Design Coaching, to talk about the theological foundations behind sound coaching practice and his new boo...
Error doesn’t show up wearing a warning label. It shows up dressed in Christian language, quoting Scripture, and promising the one thing our culture already tells us to chase: the life that looks successful. That’s why we’re starting a special multi-episode series on the prosperity gospel, also known as the health and wealth gospel or the Word of Faith movement. We want to name what it teaches, why...
Your view of the human body is never “just theology.” It quietly shapes how you treat sex, work, suffering, dignity, and even what you think salvation is. We pick up in Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 4 on creation and move from the physical side of humanity to the confession’s striking phrase: “reasonable and immortal souls.”
We talk through classic Christian anthr...
If someone told you your body is just optional hardware and the “real you” is whatever you feel inside, would you have the words to answer back with clarity and compassion? We open Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 4 and take up a deceptively simple claim with massive consequences: God created the world, and after making all other creatures, he created mankind male and female with body and soul. Th...
Leadership can feel like carrying everyone else’s weight while having nowhere safe to set down your own. That is why we sat down with Reverend Vincent Torriello, pastor, professional coach, and founder of By Design Coaching, to talk about coaching that is both practical and rooted in theology. His new book Drawing Out the Heart: Theological Foundations for Sound Coaching Practice makes a clear case...
Predestination can feel like the doctrine that turns God into a math problem or a monster, depending on who’s talking. We refuse both options. Walking carefully through Westminster Confession of Faith Chapter 3, we wrestle with God’s eternal decree, why Scripture speaks so plainly about election and reprobation, and why the confession insists this “high mystery” must be handled with special p...
“God ordains whatsoever comes to pass” can sound like a wrecking ball to your sense of freedom and fairness. We sit down with Westminster Confession Chapter 3 and take the doctrine of God’s eternal decree seriously, without turning people into puppets or turning God into a distant spectator.
We walk line by line through the confession’s careful claims: God’s decree is wise, holy,...
We’re joined by Dr. Chad Van Dixhoorn, professor of church history and theology at Reformed Theological Seminary and one of today’s leading Westminster Assembly scholars. Few men in our day have devoted more careful, sustained work to the Westminster Standards, studying both their historical setting and their theological substance. In this conversation, he offers a gracious and accessible presentation of...
Politics is everywhere, but it rarely feels personal. From cable news panels to social media takes, it’s easy to talk about “politicians” like they’re a single faceless group instead of neighbors made in the image of God. We sit down with Rev Ron Zeigler, a pastor serving full-time through Ministry to State at the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg, to talk about what it looks like to b...
The fastest way to misunderstand Christianity is to treat the Trinity like a math puzzle or a dusty debate from the fourth century. We pick up Westminster Confession of Faith chapter two and follow the doctrine of the Trinity where it actually comes from: the Bible’s own speech about the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, with the Gospel of John front and center. Drew Brackbill helps us connect Scripture, c...
Pastor Cisco Victa sits down with Drew Brackbill to discuss Chapter 2 of the Westminster Confession of Faith, Of God and of the Holy Trinity. Together they explore what the Confession teaches about the nature and attributes of the one true and living God and how Scripture reveals that this one God exists eternally as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
In this conversation they begin to look at the historical development o...
In this episode of Catechizing Conversations, Cisco Victa and Drew Brackbill continue their study of the Westminster Standards by focusing on Westminster Shorter Catechism Q.2 and Chapter 1 of the Westminster Confession of Faith.
They explore why Scripture is the only rule to direct us how to glorify and enjoy God, clarifying the Reformed doctrine of sola Scriptura. The conversation addresses the role of church tradi...
In this episode of Catechizing Conversations, Cisco Victa and Drew Brackbill examine the formation of the biblical canon and the question: Who determines what counts as God’s Word?
Tracing the history of the Old Testament from early Jewish recognition of the canon to the Septuagint, the Latin Vulgate, and the debates of the Reformation, they explain why Roman Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include the Deuterocano...
What happens when a former atheist returns to the college campus with the Gospel? We sit down with Micah Natal of DiscipleMakers to unpack how clear doctrine and real community take root in a place often defined by slogans, polarization, and noise.
Micah traces his story from hearing a professor call the Bible “half myth,” to Micah's preaching in a house church, to the providential leading that le...
Popular Podcasts
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
Listen to 'The Bobby Bones Show' by downloading the daily full replay.
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.