October 10, 2025 • 35 mins
"What if the generation everyone called distracted is actually laser-focused? Today we sit down with family pastor, Marc Crabtree to trace a hopeful shift among 18–27-year-olds who are done with hype and hungry for truth."
From frank conversations on sexuality, suicide, and same‑sex relationships to the thorny overlap of faith and politics, Marc shares how a young adult community can hold the line on Scripture while learning to love people with courage and care. The surprise isn’t their outrage—it’s their appetite for depth and their refusal to be patronized. That appetite is changing how they’re taught. Instead of gimmicks, Marc walks them through hermeneutics—how to read the Bible with confidence—so discernment grows and fear fades. We talk about moving from milk to solid food, why disagreement isn’t hate, and how transparency from leaders builds real trust in a post‑COVID world of media mistrust and shifting definitions. The aim isn’t to win arguments but to shape resilient disciples who can navigate culture without being shaped by it.
We also step outside the classroom into the community. Marc's church, GraceWay Bible Church, converted a former 7‑Eleven into an outreach center offering ESL classes, GED prep, and a relationship‑based food pantry that prays with every guest. Even in “affluent” suburbs, many families live one emergency away from crisis. Meeting practical needs with presence opens doors for the gospel and restores the church to its historic role: caring for neighbors, strengthening families, and forming character at home rather than outsourcing it to institutions.
Anchored by stories of calling and vocational joy, this conversation invites you to rethink church as both a classroom for truth and a workshop for love. Subscribe, share with a friend who cares about the next generation, and leave a review with one takeaway that challenged you—what “solid food” are YOU ready to pursue this week?
Marc Crabtree - Assistant Pastor, Young Adults & Families, GraceWay Bible Church: https://gracewaybc.org/who-we-are/our-team/
Listen to Pastor Marc's Powerful Testimony (click underlined links below):
Ep 106: Awakening the Soul - Embracing Redemption (Part 1)
Ep 107: Awakening the Soul - Embracing Redemption (Part 2)
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_01 (02:25):
Can you hear me?
Awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (02:35):
No, you're interrupting chicken, but that's
okay.
SPEAKER_01 (02:38):
Oh man.
Get your protein on.
That's good.
SPEAKER_00 (02:41):
Yeah, pounded chicken's hard, man.
SPEAKER_01 (02:44):
Yeah.
And there's no way around it.
You just gotta No, it's it'sjust a struggle.
Yeah, you just gotta do it, man.
Oh man.
Well I I we we won't we won't betoo long, man.
I just wanted to uh to welcomeMark Crabtree back to plays on
Word Radio.
Thank you, sir, for uh for forjoining us here.
(03:09):
And uh the last time we spoke, Iforget I didn't look up the
episode that it was, but it wasearlier this year.
And I I don't know if you werein the new position that you are
in now at that time or you werewhen we spoke.
I think you might have juststarted or about to start.
SPEAKER_00 (03:28):
It was um I guess it was last Christmas around that
time.
SPEAKER_01 (03:35):
No, it was after that, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_00 (03:36):
I thought it was my movie after that.
So yeah, I was in the positionfor maybe a month.
SPEAKER_01 (03:41):
Okay, you had just started.
SPEAKER_00 (03:43):
Yeah, just started.
SPEAKER_01 (03:44):
And this is this is at uh Graceway Bible Church.
SPEAKER_00 (03:48):
Grace Way Bible Church in Hamilton.
SPEAKER_01 (03:50):
In Hamilton, New Jersey.
And uh tell us about this newposition, man.
What's going on?
What's happening?
SPEAKER_00 (03:58):
Man, it has been a wild and divine ride.
It really has.
Um, you know, I'm in thisposition, young families and
young adults.
Um, I mainly work with youngadults a lot.
You know, teach I teach a youngadult class, and we get into
some pretty uh controversialtopics and some topics that are
(04:19):
you know taboo to the church,right?
Um, we talk about things likesexual immorality and premarital
sex and suicide and um what issame-sex marriage and you know,
same-sex relationships inchurch, and how do we cross
those bridges?
We opened up uh you know thediscussion about Charlie Kirk
when all of that happened, andum you know, how do we connect
(04:46):
our faith with our politics?
Should we connect our faith withour politics, right?
Um, what did Jesus say aboutfaith and politics?
And you know, some of theuncomfortable conversations that
a lot of Christians don't wantto have because it may flip
their paradigm upside down.
And a lot of times, honestly, Idon't think any of us really
know how to deal with thateffectively when our everything
(05:08):
that we think and feel should bethe right way or the the way to
do something, and we're clearlymet with Christ's word that
says, Hey, you need to you needto rethink this, you need to
pray about this, right?
So we get into thosediscussions.
Um I mentor them.
I uh they're an amazing group ofpeople, they really are.
They're so on fire, they're sohungry.
SPEAKER_01 (05:29):
Uh it looks like the age group that you're dealing
with.
SPEAKER_00 (05:32):
Sure.
So our young adult group is ages18 to 27, is like the hard
cutoff.
Uh after that.
SPEAKER_01 (05:40):
That's an interesting uh that's an
interesting group there.
I'm curious, just what are whatare their thoughts?
Because this is a generationthat's been basically bamboozled
and brainwashed by social mediaand TV, uh, to a lesser extent,
because most of them don'treally watch that much TV.
It's mostly stuff online.
(06:00):
But um, you know, there's therehas been an an active push to
set a narrative that same-sexmarriage is norm and the Bible
needs to be adjusted to theculture and uh a lot of these
topics that you just mentioned.
So I'm just curious, what whatare you what is your feedback?
Let me hear some of this, man.
(06:21):
What what are you running?
SPEAKER_00 (06:22):
Yeah, so I will say they're not stupid.
They um they have been, you'reright, there has been a huge
push to pull the wool over theireyes and treat them as dumb
kids.
And you know what?
For a while that may have beenworking, but they're they're not
they're not on that anymore.
They realize there's somethingmissing, there's something not
(06:44):
right.
You know, it it's almost whenyou look, uh, I I think about
you know, I think about theWizard of Oz, right?
Where they're getting to be atum the Emerald City and they're
going through this field ofbeautiful flowers, and all of a
sudden they all pass out.
And that's what I think theyoung adults are waking up to.
They say, Man, this looksbeautiful, this sounds
wonderful, but my lifeexperience is telling me that
(07:08):
this is not the wondrousShangri-La that I was sold.
Um, you know, we see that notjust in a practical sense with
me, but we see thatstatistically too, right?
Um, there's a 13% growth in theevangelical church here in
America, and it is pushed byyoung adult men.
That's where that growth iscoming from.
(07:29):
And so I get that same feedbackin class.
There's a lot of them that arestanding firm saying, no, this
there's not something's notright here.
This is what scripture says.
Scripture has never failed,right?
Even if I don't agree with it,it still has never failed.
Some of them, you know, with theway really with the same sex
thing, I think it is this.
A lot of them have loved onesand friends and people they care
(07:52):
about that are in thosecommunities, right?
And so they struggle with it'snot right, I know it's not
right, but I don't wanna I don'twanna condemn them, I don't want
to judge them, so to speak,right?
I think one of the things thathas to come with our education
to young adults is what truediscernment is, what is true
(08:13):
discernment, yeah.
Um, and when we can when theycan understand that you can
discern good and evil withoutcondemning your friend, and you
can come alongside them and lovethem and still give them the
truth of the word of Christ, I Ithink that'll set them up in a
better position.
And I think we're getting there,at least in our group.
(08:34):
Um, they're very attentive,they're very open to discussion,
they freely share what they feeland think, which tells me that
we have created a space wherethey feel they can share those
things.
So, but that's the feedback asfar as that goes.
Um, the feedback's positive,though.
They really enjoy learning.
Uh, we did a whole lesson onhermeneutics, they loved it.
(08:55):
Many of them came away, and Iwasn't sure.
I thought maybe I'm getting alittle too academic for them.
And a lot of them came away andsaid, Hey, I go home now and I
want to read my Bible becauseI'm not intimidated to read it
anymore.
And so these are things that Ithink we have refused to teach
because they're controversial,or they'll be boring, or how do
we rope the young adults in withfun and excitement?
(09:16):
And yeah, it's great, but theywant more, they don't want to be
on milk the rest of their lives,right?
Like scripture, but like Paultells us, right?
You need to eat that solid food,and it's so important because in
that same scripture scripture,he says that it's when you're
eating the solid food that youcan have proper discernment.
So the reason why I think theirdiscernment lacks is because
(09:38):
we're so busy trying to feedthem milk when we should be
feeding them food.
Yeah, and so we're actually, Ithink, you know, doing a
disservice.
But you know, I'll get off mysoapbox.
But no, the feedback is they'reopen, they they realize there's
something going on.
There is a there is a definiteturn of the corner here
spiritually with the young adultgeneration.
There really truly is.
SPEAKER_01 (09:58):
Yeah, I think a uh a lot of folks are, especially
that age group, I think they'reum they're even even ones that
were, let me say, were on theleft side of the political
spectrum.
After this Charlie Kirkassassination, uh, I have seen a
lot of them scratching theirheads saying, wait a minute, um,
(10:20):
is this my side?
That's right.
This is this is the side I'm I'mI'm I'm going to battle with on
the hill.
I'm gonna die on this hill.
Uh I don't I don't know if thisis right, man.
And I think um I mean we sawthat in the on on the political
right with say the neocons.
(10:42):
You know, yeah, there's a lot ofpeople scratching their heads
saying, wait a second, man, am Ireally for am I really for
endless wars without any kind ofend or anything like that?
Am I am I for that?
And we've seen a lot of peopleon the on the right re-examine
their position.
Not that they moved left, butthey just re-examine the
position they were in.
And I've uh we've seen a lot ofpeople um on the left
(11:05):
re-examining their position.
Like, am I for murderingsomebody who's stirring up
crowds?
And they're you know, at somepoint you have to look and say,
what all right, what is this guysaying?
And you know, he was basicallyjust uh having conversations
with people, taking uh adisagreeing position from them,
(11:28):
and a disagreement does not meanhate.
That's where the problem is.
The media, the media promotes itas if I disagree with you or you
disagree with me, therefore youhate me.
That's the logic.
That's right.
One plus one is equaling two.
You disagree with me, thereforeyou hate me, therefore, what I
do to you is justified, andthat's and I think uh I'm I'm
(11:51):
praying that God gave the thisyounger generation some sense to
see through that because and Ithink a lot of them are they're
like, wait a minute, hold on,you know, and I think COVID
really uh in in a weird wayactually helped because they a
lot of this generation they'reseeing they were bamboozled with
(12:12):
the with the vaccine, withcovet, the whole nine.
They're saying they werebamboozled, they were sold a
bill of goods, they were lied toby the authorities.
Oh, it's safe and effective.
Yeah, right.
You know, there's a lot all theand a lot of young people, you
know, they were like, wait aminute, man.
Wait, what?
It uh it's not a vaccine, orit's not, it's not this.
(12:36):
I don't want to make the showabout a vaccine, but a lot of
people have been a lot of peoplehave been duped in the last five
years, particularly by people inauthority.
So they don't they they the thisgeneration doesn't seem to be
ready to believe anything.
SPEAKER_00 (12:49):
That's right.
So the biggest, you know, thebig biggest things, and so I I
really think in my head, how doI combat that as you know, it's
hard to think of myself as anauthority figure, but you know.
Um, we have a we have a a jokein the young adults because I
relate to them so much that youknow there comes a point in your
life when you go, I need anadult, and you realize you were
the adult that everyone needs,right?
(13:10):
And uh I was just meeting withone of them last night, and uh
that person said, you know,after I texted you that I wanted
to talk to you, I just realizedI put you in a position where
you had to be the adult.
I'm so sorry, right?
But um, I think I think for uswhere we stand in a position of
I I don't like to use theauthority, but maybe wise
counsel, right?
Which is is authority in asense.
(13:31):
But when we stand in thosepositions, it is so important,
especially with this younggeneration, this this young
adult generation, that we aretransparent, that we are honest,
yeah, and that when we don'tknow, we tell them we don't
know.
Yep, you're right.
Um, and that's what I try myhardest to do with every one of
(13:54):
them.
And I will be honest with them,even if it doesn't paint the
best picture.
Um, I give them the whole truth,I give them transparency, and I
think they appreciate that.
I think they realize that I'mnot gonna hide things from them.
And um, you know, I I think fora long time, like you said, they
were they were bamboozledcompletely, right?
(14:14):
I mean, you you take thatvaccine, and it's not about
vaccines, but the that's such agood one because the vaccine,
the covet vaccine, ended upbeing so little of what they
said it was that now theychanged all the shots' names.
Now it's the flu vaccine.
Yeah, and now they just saw anew one this year.
Now they have the pneumoniavaccine.
SPEAKER_02 (14:35):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (14:36):
These aren't like, and then they go into the
dictionary, and in real timethey change the definition of
what a vaccine is so it meetsand so when they do that and go,
move and go to the group.
Yep, but unfortunately, whatthey didn't think of is that you
know, you change the rules ofthe game, but you gave the young
(14:57):
adults access to the rule book.
So when you change it, they cansee you doing it.
Yeah, and I think I think a lotof times they think the younger
generation is a lot moreignorant than they are, they are
smart and they are hungry andthey want truth.
And yeah, yeah, they are theyare an amazing group of young
people that I don't think thegreater culture gives them
(15:19):
enough credit for.
They try and take advantage ofthem and and don't realize that
they are they are innovative andthey are smart and they're
courageous and they're just II'll be honest.
Um, before I was I was in thisfamily position, I thought
family pastor was one of themost ridiculous things I'd ever
heard of.
Um, in fact, when me andJennifer were looking to move to
(15:40):
North Carolina and I was lookingfor positions, all I found was
family pastor positions.
And I said to her, you know,what is this family pastor
thing?
I just want an assistant pastorposition.
What family pastor?
I don't want to be a familypastor.
Yeah.
A year later, not only am I inthe position of a family type
pastor, but you know, um want togo get my master's for family
(16:02):
ministry.
And I have fallen in love withfamily ministry.
It is so vital, it's soimportant, but it's so rewarding
and it's so exciting to watchfamilies grow.
Yeah, um, specifically to watchthese young adults mature
because that's what you'redoing.
You're watching them literallycross that bridge from not
childhood, but unsure, I think Iknow it all, I'm figuring it all
(16:26):
out to confident and standingfirm.
And you know, you walk throughcrisis crises with them and you
watch them figure it out, andit's it's it's so awesome, it's
amazing.
So, you know, what's thisposition like?
It's awesome.
It is just it, I've never feltso fulfilled in a in a role.
SPEAKER_01 (16:48):
Hey, well, that's isn't that it that's answer to
prayer right there, bro.
It really is, it really is thatthe Lord has uh he's he's locked
you in, and you're you know, youwake up excited to go to work.
SPEAKER_00 (17:00):
Nothing like that.
And you know what?
Yeah, it's a long time ago, andI'm sure you heard it.
You know, if you like what youdo, you never work a day in your
life.
Yeah, and I chased that for solong, not understanding what it
meant.
But I feel so funny calling whatI do work because it's not my
job, it's my life, it's what Ido, it's what God designed and
made me for.
(17:20):
And so when you fit into theplan God has for you, it's just
so natural, right?
SPEAKER_01 (17:25):
There's nothing like it.
It's like the engine just runsright.
It's like cylinders are firing,and uh, you know, you don't you
don't need a tune-up becauseit's it's that's that me you're
running right, and I can relateto that, man, with doing the
plays and pastor in the church,the two those two things.
I told I said, I I feel like Ishould I feel like I should pay
(17:46):
for this, you know.
Yeah, exactly.
It's it's not a job.
I think I you know, I should Ishould I think feel like I
should pay God.
I I need to pay him for uh forthis privilege of being able to
serve serve people with uh withthe gifts and desires he's put
on my heart and the abilities,you know, it's it doesn't feel
like work.
SPEAKER_00 (18:07):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:08):
Even when I'm tired after a play, we just did a play
and I was I was fatigued andtired after, but the fatigue is
so different than like when Iworked for Comcast.
Yeah, that was oh I'm beat upmentally, physically,
spiritually, and uh I need abreak.
I can't, I I'm I'm I'm worn out.
(18:28):
Whereas when I do a play or youknow, nothing like a Sunday
afternoon nap after afterpreaching, but uh you know it's
never I'm never worn out.
You know, there's there's afatigue, okay.
I'm gonna I'm gonna chill now,but for the most part, man, it's
like nah man, it's uh you know,I it there's nothing like doing
(18:51):
what God designed you to do.
And he I'm sure if you look backwhen you were a kid, you can
probably see where the Lord wasplanting seeds uh back as a kid.
I know I can look back and say,wow, he was he was leading me on
this path when I was five, six,seven, eight.
He was dropping me and showingme little things.
(19:14):
You know, little things.
I mean, I'd see it, I'd seeCharles Stanley or some TV
preacher on TV, and I waslooking and just something was
drawing me to to what they weredoing and saying, and I don't
know, man.
It's just uh I actually got introuble as a little kid because
uh my mom brought me to this onechurch, and then after after the
service, I think we went intothe back of where the fellowship
(19:36):
hall was, and there was a stagethere, and I got up on the stage
and started preaching toeverybody.
And the pastor, the pastor cameout and he was like, get him off
of there.
No, no, no, no.
I know he didn't like that onebit.
But I was up there, I was upthere preaching, didn't know
what I was preaching, but I waspreaching, and if I and I'm
like, wow, this feels right in aweird way.
As a as a five-year six-year-oldkid, I like knew, wait a second,
(20:01):
something like I have that samefeeling now when I go out on
stage or when I'm when I'mbringing the word, uh, it's the
same type of feeling that thatlittle six-year-old kid had.
So, you know, anyway.
SPEAKER_00 (20:13):
Yeah, I hear you, brother.
It is that's the way it goes,right?
It's yeah, you know, bringingback to what you said about you
know, throwing the peoplethrowing hate, right?
And uh it was what I wasthinking when you were saying,
like, you know, there's Charliejust giving people truth and and
challenging their paradigms, andthey you know, hate him.
And you know, not that CharlieKirk is Jesus by any means, but
(20:36):
what happened to Jesus when hewent out into the crowds and
spoke truth and challengedparadigms and they threw him on
a cross, right?
I mean, that's really why theythrew him on there, is because
they didn't like what he had tosay, right?
They didn't like the way theyfelt when he spoke to them,
right?
Um, and I think we allexperience, you know, Jesus
says, you know, take up yourcross and follow me, and you'll
go through the same things thatI went through, and you'll
(20:58):
experience that too.
And and we do, right?
Whether it's the obviously notas extreme as being put on a
cross, but you know, thosethings happen.
And you know, whether you'reextreme left or extreme right,
uh now anymore, you know, I wasjust thinking about it this
morning.
I really don't, I'm not aRepublican, I'm not a Democrat,
I'm a conservative, I haveconservative ideas, I'm a
(21:20):
Christian.
Christian because that's that'swhat I am, right?
Um, and it just so happens thatthe Republican Party lines up
more with conservatism than theDemocrat Party right now.
And you know what?
Maybe in 57 years, maybe that'llbe different.
Maybe they'll flip-flop orsomething, who knows?
But whatever label you give thepolitical party, it's really not
about that.
It's about how is what who'sdoing lining up with my life in
(21:43):
Christ.
SPEAKER_02 (21:43):
Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00 (21:44):
And that's all that matters.
And so, you know, we get in thatdiscussion in class with the
young adults is you know, don'tlook at it as am I on the right
or left, am I blue or red, am Ipurple?
Am I no?
Is is what you believe in to betrue?
Does what whoever you're votingfor, do they push the truth?
Do they land on that?
Or are they compromising toculture?
And so who do you want to be ina position of power?
(22:08):
Right?
SPEAKER_01 (22:08):
That is such a big problem.
The the the culture, the churchused to conform the culture, and
now in many areas the culture isconforming the church,
absolutely, and that's where youhave um just massive problems
where and it usually starts withwell, we believe this part of
(22:32):
the Bible, but we don't we don'treally want to deal with this
part of the Bible, or we'regonna overlook this part of what
Jesus said, right.
Um, and that's how you end upwith the the whole doctrine of
uh it's just the gospel, it'sjust the gospel of love.
It has you know, the cross isn'tthere, the death, or
resurrection of Christ isn'tthere.
It's just love your neighbor.
(22:52):
Just and if you love yourneighbor, you won't offend them.
And that that well what wait aminute.
That's not what the gospel'sthat's not what any of the the
Bible, any of the Biblecharacters, they were some
offensive guys.
That's right.
They offended everybody, theyoffended everybody, man.
And it's like, I mean, so I justsee this, I see this problem in
culture, in our culture, whereuh uh the culture feels like
(23:16):
they have they even have a seatat the table as far as what
biblical doctrine should be.
That's right.
The culture does not have a seatat the table.
SPEAKER_00 (23:27):
The church is to conform, is to change the
culture, the church is to liveout the life that Christ lived
through them and impact impactthis rotten culture, but we've
seen it go the other way in somany areas, and that's a I think
the universal Christian church,whether it's pride or it's
(23:48):
feeling bad or it's beingembarrassed, generally general
universal Christian church, weneed to admit where we've gone
wrong, and we need to admit thatthere's certain areas that we as
Christians and as the churchhave failed, and one of those
glaring is just what you saidthat the culture impacts the
church.
The biggest part is how do we doSunday is Sunday school?
SPEAKER_01 (24:10):
Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00 (24:11):
The biggest way that that that the uh government
impacted education was with thedepartment of education, right?
And they come in, oh, it's gonnabe great, this department's
gonna do it.
Well, test scores and educationhas dropped, it's plummeted
since that went.
They spent a trillion bucks too.
That's right.
And so what they did was theysay, Well, we'll teach your
kids, so you send your kids tous and we'll teach them at
(24:34):
school, and you don't have toworry about teaching them at
home.
So the paradigm got flipped, andit was no longer the education
system and the communitysupporting the family.
Now it became the familysupporting the school.
Yeah, but we've done the samething with church, yeah, right.
It used to be the churchsupported the family at home,
yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (24:52):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (24:53):
And now it's the church, the family comes to
church to support the church.
Johnny goes to Sunday school foran hour on Sunday, and I'm good
for the rest of the week.
I don't have to worry aboutteaching him verses, and I'm not
a theologian, and I don't knowHebrew, and I don't know.
Well, you know, we need to takeour excuses and throw them out
the window and step up and say,No, you need to be doing it at
(25:15):
home, and we will supplementwhat you're doing at home at the
church and we'll provide Sundayschool.
Yeah, but we are supporting thefamily, the family should not be
supporting the church, and sothat's the one way that culture
took that whole framework, whatthey did with school, and
infected some Sunday school andin the church.
SPEAKER_01 (25:36):
And yeah, and you know, I've given the example uh
over and over.
I I I tell the congreg differentcongregations, I told them, I
said, listen, what would happenif I ate for you?
SPEAKER_02 (25:47):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (25:48):
Right?
Like, first of all, you guyswould be all malnourished and
I'd be uh uh two 700 pounds ordead because of overeating.
Um I can't I can't eat the wordof God for you.
All I can do is I can help youand and and and uh maybe shed
some light on some areas, uh,encourage you in the word, but
(26:08):
if you're not eat if you're notgetting your own diet, and how
many Christians are Sunday, youknow, so they they get their
their dietary uh supplement onSunday, that's it.
And then the rest of the week,there's there's no you know, and
so that goes along with whatyou're saying as far as um you
(26:31):
know the the the church isshould be helping the family,
not the family helping thechurch, because that's how
people malnourished.
Oh, let me take it to my pastor,I want to share the gospel with
you.
I want let me take it to mypastor.
Like, what?
Wait a second.
The pastor's job is not to sharethe gospel with somebody that
(26:51):
you have run into.
That's right, although he shouldbe able to, but that's not his
job.
That's your job to share thehope that you have within you
with gentleness and kindness,but you are the one that's
supposed to share the hope.
The pastor is just to help equipyou to do the work of ministry.
That's why he gave some to bepastors, some to be teachers,
(27:13):
you know, that whole uh uhEphesians thing there, right
there.
You know the those gifts.
So um I just I feel passionateabout that because uh in in our
in the world it has reallyflipped where it's uh you know
(27:33):
the church is supposed to do thebut then if you look at it
though, there are a bunch ofthings that the church used to
do that the government is nowexpected to do instead of and
we've lost a sense of communitybecause the church no longer is
caring for unwed mothers andstuff like that in in a lot of
areas, not every area.
(27:54):
There are many churches that aredoing like you guys are are
doing some stuff like that.
You have your outreach centercoming up to uh or tell us about
it.
SPEAKER_00 (28:01):
We are so sure.
So we um purchased the 7-Elevenbuilding that was next to our
church, and uh we have convertedit and we're in the process of
finishing up the remodel, and weare offering English as a second
language classes, we're offeringGED prep classes, we have a food
pantry that we serve.
I believe we're up to 100registered families we serve out
(28:23):
of that food pantry now.
And the idea behind it is, andit's exactly what you know,
Pastor Scott Transky said.
You know, he stood up there oneday and explaining our outreach
center, and it's when you and itit goes right in line.
We have given the job of welfareassistance, whatever that looks
like, to the government.
They're really, really bad atit.
That should be the church's job,and so we as a church are taking
(28:45):
that responsibility on to say,you need food, we'll help.
You need to learn English, we'llhelp.
You need to go get your GED,we'll help.
You need, you know, we're gonnahave classrooms in there as well
where there's some expanding umthings we're gonna be doing.
Um, I can't share those thingsyet because they're still in the
um brainstorming phase.
SPEAKER_01 (29:03):
We'll have you back on we'll have you back on
another episode so you canexplain you and Scott Taransky.
SPEAKER_00 (29:10):
What's that?
You and Scott Taransky come comeon.
Oh, that would be wonderful.
I'm sure Scott would love to.
But um, yeah, there's a programthat we have that we've
realized, and I guess and Ican't really speak much publicly
about it right now, but it's aprogram that we're coming up
with that you don't see churchesengaged in enough.
And I think the statistics isone in four families are
(29:30):
affected with this.
And the church does not takethat opportunity to minister to
these people, and so we areworking in a way in how can we
do that for our community.
And so you also said anotherthing is I think the church has
gotten lazy, yeah, right,because the government's willing
to do so much, just like parentsget lazy because the
(29:52):
government's willing to do it,and so teaching hermeneutics,
teaching Christian terms such asredemption and reconciliation.
And uh, you know, all of thosethings, consecration.
And so when we when we allowwhen we allow that to happen,
right, you know, I asked most ofmy young adults, and even some
(30:13):
adults, I say hermeneutics andthey look at me cross-eyed and
they have no idea what I'mtalking about.
Every Christian should know whata hermeneutic is and have one.
SPEAKER_02 (30:20):
Right, right.
SPEAKER_00 (30:20):
And that's what allows you to read scripture,
that's what allows you to do itat home.
That's what allows you to teachyour children, because then
you're confident in teachingthem.
So I think, you know, again, Ithink the church we have to be
bold and mature enough to say,hey, this is where we've done
wrong, and we need to change it.
Right.
(30:41):
And so getting into thecommunity and giving food
pantries.
It's easy to give food, but wedon't just give food, we give
food, but we have every person,it's not like a drive-by where
you pull up, we put the food inyour car, and you drive away.
SPEAKER_01 (30:52):
Nice.
SPEAKER_00 (30:53):
You come into the pantry, we pray with you, we
talk with you, we get to knowyou.
Right.
And that's what kind of makesour pantry different.
Is we we spend time getting toknow in these families and
praying for them and drawingthem in.
We've had some of these familiescome from our food pantry to now
coming on Sunday, you know, andso you know, it's not about
growing numbers of the church,but it's about introducing them
(31:16):
to Jesus Christ and giving thema place to form a relationship
with him.
SPEAKER_01 (31:20):
Have you uh you you the church is in a fairly
affluent area.
Uh, I'm surprised.
Is there a need for for food?
Uh uh and have you beensurprised by I'm always
surprised because we were inTom's River and there was a food
pantry next door to the churchwe were in uh that I uh was
serving in and um in New Jersey,Tom's River, New Jersey, and uh
(31:43):
I couldn't bel I was shocked,man, at the lines of people and
these these were how do I saythis?
These were just uh your neighborlooking type people getting
getting food not trying to getover.
You know, I'm sure there's somecharacters that are trying to
get over, but these were freepantry jumpers.
(32:04):
Yeah, but these there were alsofolks there that were like I
gotta feed my kids and I can't,I I either gotta pay my mortgage
or I gotta buy food.
I you know, I can't do both, andor medicine, you know that that
kind of stuff.
And it's like yo, here in in uhyou the United States of
America, it's like that, it'slike 19 1929 all over again.
SPEAKER_02 (32:28):
Yeah, really?
SPEAKER_00 (32:29):
Well, I think a lot of it has to do with a couple
things.
One, there's obviously thosethat are needed that don't have
what they what they need andthey only have so much, and but
I think a lot more people livepaycheck to paycheck than we
realize.
Yeah, and so if you're livingpaycheck to paycheck, one
emergency sinks you, right?
One emergency will do it.
Yeah, and um, you know, when Iworked at a psych unit, we
always said one moment, one onemoment would put any one of us
(32:53):
on the other side of the desk asa patient.
And so the same thing applies,right?
And people when you're livingpaycheck to paycheck or you
don't have much of a cushion,any one moment, one event will
push you all the way backwards,right?
So we all we are also right nearTrent in New Jersey, which has a
huge need.
Yeah, and so you know, we doservice families in Trenton, but
(33:14):
we do serve a lot of familiesright in Hamilton.
And so where we are in Hamilton,it is, I mean, I guess you could
say affluent, so to speak, butuh there's probably another half
of Hamilton that is not likethat.
So, you know, we're right in thecenter of town, right where the
municipal building is.
So, you know, we are where thechurch is located in that
general area, um, it is.
(33:37):
But I would say, you know,probably half of Hamilton
definitely has deep needs,whether it be food or some type
of assistance, um, you know,whatever whatever that
assistance may look like.
Okay, man.
SPEAKER_01 (33:49):
Well, uh just my last question.
Uh in closing our interview, soyou can get back to your
chicken.
Um and thank you.
You know, uh uh maybe we'll doanother one soon so we can talk
about you know just the play andthe impact of the play at the
church.
Uh if you got any feedback oranything like that.
Um, so or you'll probably get itthis week coming up because
(34:11):
there's people I have somefeedback, but I'm sure I'll get
more.
Yeah, man.
So, you know, we'll we'll talkabout that, but I want to know
how entrenched are you there anduh at that church, uh, and how
hard is it gonna be for you tomove down to Leland to come down
to Calvary Southport?
That's what I want to know.
That's what I want to know.
SPEAKER_02 (34:30):
Oh man, you gotta put that question on me.
SPEAKER_00 (34:34):
Can we get a date locked in, man?
Oh no, there's no date.
The Lord has not given me adate, so I will say you need to
talk to my boss about that one.
My boss being uh the Lord up theLord.
Yep, yep.
No, it's you know, we are we areso blessed to be where we are,
and um, we are where we are atthe time we need to be here.
(34:57):
Yeah, um, however long thatseason is, we don't know.
We hope it's it's a good season.
Um, there's so many good people,but you know, it's hard when
your heart is split, like ourheart is, because you know, our
heart is with you guys downthere in Calvary Chapel, and you
know, kind of watching you guysfrom afar plant that place and
it's growing and they hear howyou guys are flourishing.
(35:18):
Um, it's hard to not, you know,to not be down there, but I
definitely have a split heartand uh I definitely want to be
down there more to visit withyou guys.
SPEAKER_01 (35:26):
I think he's gonna he's gonna bring you down, you
know, right when we have avibrant young adult uh uh
community, young familycommunity that's that's ready to
rock and roll, and you'realready trained up and ready to
rock and roll with it, man.
SPEAKER_00 (35:40):
Oh man.
See, yeah, no, God is so sogood.
And uh, you know, Annabellebeing in school, you know, we uh
I'm sure when everything linesup the way the Lord needs it to,
is when we'll be ready to move.
Right now, we're just we'rebeing Abraham.
That's what we're being.
SPEAKER_01 (35:55):
So if if I could persuade the Lego company to put
a Lego store in Southport, wouldthat help uh sway you, man?
I'm gonna do everything I can tosway you.
It wouldn't hurt.
SPEAKER_00 (36:06):
I mean, Legos, tacos, you know, if you can get
those two things, we might wemight be on to something.
SPEAKER_01 (36:11):
There's a taco place and a taco truck, you gotta try.
Uh, I'm working on the Legos.
Oh man.
Uh and I'm gonna open up aplanet fitness if I have to,
just to get you to come down.
I'll do whatever I can.
Uh we'll get a GNC or something,some supplements.
You know what I mean?
I'll give you a discount onsupplements.
SPEAKER_00 (36:29):
Protein and creatine, man.
SPEAKER_01 (36:31):
There we go.
And see, uh, you fellowChristians that are listening
right now, yes, the pastor isbribing the other pastor here.
Yes, I will re I will repent indust and ashes of this, but I'm
trying to persuade this guy.
Hey, you know what?
You notice this the the story inthe old testament where the the
prophet goes up to the otherprophet, and he's like, Yeah,
(36:52):
I'm a prophet too.
Uh the Lord said, come to myhouse, and the Lord didn't say
none of that.
SPEAKER_00 (36:58):
That's right.
You better be careful and makesure the Lord saw you.
SPEAKER_01 (37:04):
Yikes! Oh man, I'll leave a link in the just in the
show notes for you uh biblicallyuh illiterate folks where it is,
so you'll be able to laugh alongwith us.
Well, Mark Brabtree, thank youso much, brother.
unknown (37:17):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (37:18):
Hey, it was so good to see you guys.
I'm so glad we had a chance togo out and get a meal together
and spend some family time.
You know, I know we are pastorpastors and colleagues, but we
are friends first and brothers,and it was good just to spend
time with you guys.
Amen.
Yes, no doubt.
SPEAKER_01 (37:33):
And we'll uh we'll we'll definitely be getting
together, God willing, soon.
And I'll be calling you anyway.
Just uh I still want to rap toyou about some just some uh some
church stuff and all we lookforward to it, all that kind of
stuff.
So do me a favor, tell everybodywe said hello there.
SPEAKER_00 (37:48):
We will, we will.
They're already talking, uhlooking to hope uh looking
forward to having you guys backwith uh one of the other plays.
So all right, and uh yeah, prayfor me because I'm I'm I really
want to launch Dan soon.
I really want to see Dan soon.
So I've been on the edge of myseat.
SPEAKER_01 (38:03):
Yes, sir, yes, sir.
Yeah, well, you've seen GenesisJoe now three times, I think.
SPEAKER_00 (38:08):
I think it's three, yeah.
Yeah, at least two.
I've seen Pete, I've seenChristmas Joe, and I've seen
Genesis Genesis Joe at leastmultiple times.
SPEAKER_01 (38:15):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:16):
So uh and it's I'll tell you, no matter how many
times I see it, it it it's thesame.
It like it doesn't loseanything, it really doesn't.
SPEAKER_01 (38:24):
It's like it's like reading scripture.
SPEAKER_00 (38:27):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (38:28):
That that that's why that's why what I'm doing, I'm
kind of cheating, man, becausemy the stuff I'm using is alive,
you know.
My yeah, somebody already wroteit for you.
The subject matter is living, soI'm I'm kind of cheating, man.
People are like, oh, you're sucha great actor, oh it's such such
a great story, and I'm like,Yeah, I had nothing to do with
that.
SPEAKER_00 (38:49):
It's nice when God writes the script for you, too,
right?
You can't beat that, you knowwhat I mean?
SPEAKER_01 (38:54):
Like, really, think about that.
Like, God wrote the script, eventhe humor.
SPEAKER_00 (38:58):
That's right.
Yeah, even the human, even thehumor.
That's what I that's what I loveabout God is his human, like the
human not that we see humannessin him, but we see him in us.
SPEAKER_01 (39:07):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (39:08):
When we see him be sarcastic or humorous with us or
the other people in the in theold testament.
So, brother, will you guys besafe traveling?
Let us let us keep in touch, letus know how you're doing.
All right, man.
SPEAKER_01 (39:19):
God bless you.
SPEAKER_00 (39:19):
Love you much, man.
God bless.
All right.
Uh love you both.
Bye.
Can you hear me?
Awesome.
SPEAKER_00 (02:35):
No, you're interrupting chicken, but that's
okay.
SPEAKER_01 (02:38):
Oh man.
Get your protein on.
That's good.
SPEAKER_00 (02:41):
Yeah, pounded chicken's hard, man.
SPEAKER_01 (02:44):
Yeah.
And there's no way around it.
You just gotta No, it's it'sjust a struggle.
Yeah, you just gotta do it, man.
Oh man.
Well I I we we won't we won't betoo long, man.
I just wanted to uh to welcomeMark Crabtree back to plays on
Word Radio.
Thank you, sir, for uh for forjoining us here.
(03:09):
And uh the last time we spoke, Iforget I didn't look up the
episode that it was, but it wasearlier this year.
And I I don't know if you werein the new position that you are
in now at that time or you werewhen we spoke.
I think you might have juststarted or about to start.
SPEAKER_00 (03:28):
It was um I guess it was last Christmas around that
time.
SPEAKER_01 (03:35):
No, it was after that, wasn't it?
SPEAKER_00 (03:36):
I thought it was my movie after that.
So yeah, I was in the positionfor maybe a month.
SPEAKER_01 (03:41):
Okay, you had just started.
SPEAKER_00 (03:43):
Yeah, just started.
SPEAKER_01 (03:44):
And this is this is at uh Graceway Bible Church.
SPEAKER_00 (03:48):
Grace Way Bible Church in Hamilton.
SPEAKER_01 (03:50):
In Hamilton, New Jersey.
And uh tell us about this newposition, man.
What's going on?
What's happening?
SPEAKER_00 (03:58):
Man, it has been a wild and divine ride.
It really has.
Um, you know, I'm in thisposition, young families and
young adults.
Um, I mainly work with youngadults a lot.
You know, teach I teach a youngadult class, and we get into
some pretty uh controversialtopics and some topics that are
(04:19):
you know taboo to the church,right?
Um, we talk about things likesexual immorality and premarital
sex and suicide and um what issame-sex marriage and you know,
same-sex relationships inchurch, and how do we cross
those bridges?
We opened up uh you know thediscussion about Charlie Kirk
when all of that happened, andum you know, how do we connect
(04:46):
our faith with our politics?
Should we connect our faith withour politics, right?
Um, what did Jesus say aboutfaith and politics?
And you know, some of theuncomfortable conversations that
a lot of Christians don't wantto have because it may flip
their paradigm upside down.
And a lot of times, honestly, Idon't think any of us really
know how to deal with thateffectively when our everything
(05:08):
that we think and feel should bethe right way or the the way to
do something, and we're clearlymet with Christ's word that
says, Hey, you need to you needto rethink this, you need to
pray about this, right?
So we get into thosediscussions.
Um I mentor them.
I uh they're an amazing group ofpeople, they really are.
They're so on fire, they're sohungry.
SPEAKER_01 (05:29):
Uh it looks like the age group that you're dealing
with.
SPEAKER_00 (05:32):
Sure.
So our young adult group is ages18 to 27, is like the hard
cutoff.
Uh after that.
SPEAKER_01 (05:40):
That's an interesting uh that's an
interesting group there.
I'm curious, just what are whatare their thoughts?
Because this is a generationthat's been basically bamboozled
and brainwashed by social mediaand TV, uh, to a lesser extent,
because most of them don'treally watch that much TV.
It's mostly stuff online.
(06:00):
But um, you know, there's therehas been an an active push to
set a narrative that same-sexmarriage is norm and the Bible
needs to be adjusted to theculture and uh a lot of these
topics that you just mentioned.
So I'm just curious, what whatare you what is your feedback?
Let me hear some of this, man.
(06:21):
What what are you running?
SPEAKER_00 (06:22):
Yeah, so I will say they're not stupid.
They um they have been, you'reright, there has been a huge
push to pull the wool over theireyes and treat them as dumb
kids.
And you know what?
For a while that may have beenworking, but they're they're not
they're not on that anymore.
They realize there's somethingmissing, there's something not
(06:44):
right.
You know, it it's almost whenyou look, uh, I I think about
you know, I think about theWizard of Oz, right?
Where they're getting to be atum the Emerald City and they're
going through this field ofbeautiful flowers, and all of a
sudden they all pass out.
And that's what I think theyoung adults are waking up to.
They say, Man, this looksbeautiful, this sounds
wonderful, but my lifeexperience is telling me that
(07:08):
this is not the wondrousShangri-La that I was sold.
Um, you know, we see that notjust in a practical sense with
me, but we see thatstatistically too, right?
Um, there's a 13% growth in theevangelical church here in
America, and it is pushed byyoung adult men.
That's where that growth iscoming from.
(07:29):
And so I get that same feedbackin class.
There's a lot of them that arestanding firm saying, no, this
there's not something's notright here.
This is what scripture says.
Scripture has never failed,right?
Even if I don't agree with it,it still has never failed.
Some of them, you know, with theway really with the same sex
thing, I think it is this.
A lot of them have loved onesand friends and people they care
(07:52):
about that are in thosecommunities, right?
And so they struggle with it'snot right, I know it's not
right, but I don't wanna I don'twanna condemn them, I don't want
to judge them, so to speak,right?
I think one of the things thathas to come with our education
to young adults is what truediscernment is, what is true
(08:13):
discernment, yeah.
Um, and when we can when theycan understand that you can
discern good and evil withoutcondemning your friend, and you
can come alongside them and lovethem and still give them the
truth of the word of Christ, I Ithink that'll set them up in a
better position.
And I think we're getting there,at least in our group.
(08:34):
Um, they're very attentive,they're very open to discussion,
they freely share what they feeland think, which tells me that
we have created a space wherethey feel they can share those
things.
So, but that's the feedback asfar as that goes.
Um, the feedback's positive,though.
They really enjoy learning.
Uh, we did a whole lesson onhermeneutics, they loved it.
(08:55):
Many of them came away, and Iwasn't sure.
I thought maybe I'm getting alittle too academic for them.
And a lot of them came away andsaid, Hey, I go home now and I
want to read my Bible becauseI'm not intimidated to read it
anymore.
And so these are things that Ithink we have refused to teach
because they're controversial,or they'll be boring, or how do
we rope the young adults in withfun and excitement?
(09:16):
And yeah, it's great, but theywant more, they don't want to be
on milk the rest of their lives,right?
Like scripture, but like Paultells us, right?
You need to eat that solid food,and it's so important because in
that same scripture scripture,he says that it's when you're
eating the solid food that youcan have proper discernment.
So the reason why I think theirdiscernment lacks is because
(09:38):
we're so busy trying to feedthem milk when we should be
feeding them food.
Yeah, and so we're actually, Ithink, you know, doing a
disservice.
But you know, I'll get off mysoapbox.
But no, the feedback is they'reopen, they they realize there's
something going on.
There is a there is a definiteturn of the corner here
spiritually with the young adultgeneration.
There really truly is.
SPEAKER_01 (09:58):
Yeah, I think a uh a lot of folks are, especially
that age group, I think they'reum they're even even ones that
were, let me say, were on theleft side of the political
spectrum.
After this Charlie Kirkassassination, uh, I have seen a
lot of them scratching theirheads saying, wait a minute, um,
(10:20):
is this my side?
That's right.
This is this is the side I'm I'mI'm I'm going to battle with on
the hill.
I'm gonna die on this hill.
Uh I don't I don't know if thisis right, man.
And I think um I mean we sawthat in the on on the political
right with say the neocons.
(10:42):
You know, yeah, there's a lot ofpeople scratching their heads
saying, wait a second, man, am Ireally for am I really for
endless wars without any kind ofend or anything like that?
Am I am I for that?
And we've seen a lot of peopleon the on the right re-examine
their position.
Not that they moved left, butthey just re-examine the
position they were in.
And I've uh we've seen a lot ofpeople um on the left
(11:05):
re-examining their position.
Like, am I for murderingsomebody who's stirring up
crowds?
And they're you know, at somepoint you have to look and say,
what all right, what is this guysaying?
And you know, he was basicallyjust uh having conversations
with people, taking uh adisagreeing position from them,
(11:28):
and a disagreement does not meanhate.
That's where the problem is.
The media, the media promotes itas if I disagree with you or you
disagree with me, therefore youhate me.
That's the logic.
That's right.
One plus one is equaling two.
You disagree with me, thereforeyou hate me, therefore, what I
do to you is justified, andthat's and I think uh I'm I'm
(11:51):
praying that God gave the thisyounger generation some sense to
see through that because and Ithink a lot of them are they're
like, wait a minute, hold on,you know, and I think COVID
really uh in in a weird wayactually helped because they a
lot of this generation they'reseeing they were bamboozled with
(12:12):
the with the vaccine, withcovet, the whole nine.
They're saying they werebamboozled, they were sold a
bill of goods, they were lied toby the authorities.
Oh, it's safe and effective.
Yeah, right.
You know, there's a lot all theand a lot of young people, you
know, they were like, wait aminute, man.
Wait, what?
It uh it's not a vaccine, orit's not, it's not this.
(12:36):
I don't want to make the showabout a vaccine, but a lot of
people have been a lot of peoplehave been duped in the last five
years, particularly by people inauthority.
So they don't they they the thisgeneration doesn't seem to be
ready to believe anything.
SPEAKER_00 (12:49):
That's right.
So the biggest, you know, thebig biggest things, and so I I
really think in my head, how doI combat that as you know, it's
hard to think of myself as anauthority figure, but you know.
Um, we have a we have a a jokein the young adults because I
relate to them so much that youknow there comes a point in your
life when you go, I need anadult, and you realize you were
the adult that everyone needs,right?
(13:10):
And uh I was just meeting withone of them last night, and uh
that person said, you know,after I texted you that I wanted
to talk to you, I just realizedI put you in a position where
you had to be the adult.
I'm so sorry, right?
But um, I think I think for uswhere we stand in a position of
I I don't like to use theauthority, but maybe wise
counsel, right?
Which is is authority in asense.
(13:31):
But when we stand in thosepositions, it is so important,
especially with this younggeneration, this this young
adult generation, that we aretransparent, that we are honest,
yeah, and that when we don'tknow, we tell them we don't
know.
Yep, you're right.
Um, and that's what I try myhardest to do with every one of
(13:54):
them.
And I will be honest with them,even if it doesn't paint the
best picture.
Um, I give them the whole truth,I give them transparency, and I
think they appreciate that.
I think they realize that I'mnot gonna hide things from them.
And um, you know, I I think fora long time, like you said, they
were they were bamboozledcompletely, right?
(14:14):
I mean, you you take thatvaccine, and it's not about
vaccines, but the that's such agood one because the vaccine,
the covet vaccine, ended upbeing so little of what they
said it was that now theychanged all the shots' names.
Now it's the flu vaccine.
Yeah, and now they just saw anew one this year.
Now they have the pneumoniavaccine.
SPEAKER_02 (14:35):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (14:36):
These aren't like, and then they go into the
dictionary, and in real timethey change the definition of
what a vaccine is so it meetsand so when they do that and go,
move and go to the group.
Yep, but unfortunately, whatthey didn't think of is that you
know, you change the rules ofthe game, but you gave the young
(14:57):
adults access to the rule book.
So when you change it, they cansee you doing it.
Yeah, and I think I think a lotof times they think the younger
generation is a lot moreignorant than they are, they are
smart and they are hungry andthey want truth.
And yeah, yeah, they are theyare an amazing group of young
people that I don't think thegreater culture gives them
(15:19):
enough credit for.
They try and take advantage ofthem and and don't realize that
they are they are innovative andthey are smart and they're
courageous and they're just II'll be honest.
Um, before I was I was in thisfamily position, I thought
family pastor was one of themost ridiculous things I'd ever
heard of.
Um, in fact, when me andJennifer were looking to move to
(15:40):
North Carolina and I was lookingfor positions, all I found was
family pastor positions.
And I said to her, you know,what is this family pastor
thing?
I just want an assistant pastorposition.
What family pastor?
I don't want to be a familypastor.
Yeah.
A year later, not only am I inthe position of a family type
pastor, but you know, um want togo get my master's for family
(16:02):
ministry.
And I have fallen in love withfamily ministry.
It is so vital, it's soimportant, but it's so rewarding
and it's so exciting to watchfamilies grow.
Yeah, um, specifically to watchthese young adults mature
because that's what you'redoing.
You're watching them literallycross that bridge from not
childhood, but unsure, I think Iknow it all, I'm figuring it all
(16:26):
out to confident and standingfirm.
And you know, you walk throughcrisis crises with them and you
watch them figure it out, andit's it's it's so awesome, it's
amazing.
So, you know, what's thisposition like?
It's awesome.
It is just it, I've never feltso fulfilled in a in a role.
SPEAKER_01 (16:48):
Hey, well, that's isn't that it that's answer to
prayer right there, bro.
It really is, it really is thatthe Lord has uh he's he's locked
you in, and you're you know, youwake up excited to go to work.
SPEAKER_00 (17:00):
Nothing like that.
And you know what?
Yeah, it's a long time ago, andI'm sure you heard it.
You know, if you like what youdo, you never work a day in your
life.
Yeah, and I chased that for solong, not understanding what it
meant.
But I feel so funny calling whatI do work because it's not my
job, it's my life, it's what Ido, it's what God designed and
made me for.
(17:20):
And so when you fit into theplan God has for you, it's just
so natural, right?
SPEAKER_01 (17:25):
There's nothing like it.
It's like the engine just runsright.
It's like cylinders are firing,and uh, you know, you don't you
don't need a tune-up becauseit's it's that's that me you're
running right, and I can relateto that, man, with doing the
plays and pastor in the church,the two those two things.
I told I said, I I feel like Ishould I feel like I should pay
(17:46):
for this, you know.
Yeah, exactly.
It's it's not a job.
I think I you know, I should Ishould I think feel like I
should pay God.
I I need to pay him for uh forthis privilege of being able to
serve serve people with uh withthe gifts and desires he's put
on my heart and the abilities,you know, it's it doesn't feel
like work.
SPEAKER_00 (18:07):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (18:08):
Even when I'm tired after a play, we just did a play
and I was I was fatigued andtired after, but the fatigue is
so different than like when Iworked for Comcast.
Yeah, that was oh I'm beat upmentally, physically,
spiritually, and uh I need abreak.
I can't, I I'm I'm I'm worn out.
(18:28):
Whereas when I do a play or youknow, nothing like a Sunday
afternoon nap after afterpreaching, but uh you know it's
never I'm never worn out.
You know, there's there's afatigue, okay.
I'm gonna I'm gonna chill now,but for the most part, man, it's
like nah man, it's uh you know,I it there's nothing like doing
(18:51):
what God designed you to do.
And he I'm sure if you look backwhen you were a kid, you can
probably see where the Lord wasplanting seeds uh back as a kid.
I know I can look back and say,wow, he was he was leading me on
this path when I was five, six,seven, eight.
He was dropping me and showingme little things.
(19:14):
You know, little things.
I mean, I'd see it, I'd seeCharles Stanley or some TV
preacher on TV, and I waslooking and just something was
drawing me to to what they weredoing and saying, and I don't
know, man.
It's just uh I actually got introuble as a little kid because
uh my mom brought me to this onechurch, and then after after the
service, I think we went intothe back of where the fellowship
(19:36):
hall was, and there was a stagethere, and I got up on the stage
and started preaching toeverybody.
And the pastor, the pastor cameout and he was like, get him off
of there.
No, no, no, no.
I know he didn't like that onebit.
But I was up there, I was upthere preaching, didn't know
what I was preaching, but I waspreaching, and if I and I'm
like, wow, this feels right in aweird way.
As a as a five-year six-year-oldkid, I like knew, wait a second,
(20:01):
something like I have that samefeeling now when I go out on
stage or when I'm when I'mbringing the word, uh, it's the
same type of feeling that thatlittle six-year-old kid had.
So, you know, anyway.
SPEAKER_00 (20:13):
Yeah, I hear you, brother.
It is that's the way it goes,right?
It's yeah, you know, bringingback to what you said about you
know, throwing the peoplethrowing hate, right?
And uh it was what I wasthinking when you were saying,
like, you know, there's Charliejust giving people truth and and
challenging their paradigms, andthey you know, hate him.
And you know, not that CharlieKirk is Jesus by any means, but
(20:36):
what happened to Jesus when hewent out into the crowds and
spoke truth and challengedparadigms and they threw him on
a cross, right?
I mean, that's really why theythrew him on there, is because
they didn't like what he had tosay, right?
They didn't like the way theyfelt when he spoke to them,
right?
Um, and I think we allexperience, you know, Jesus
says, you know, take up yourcross and follow me, and you'll
go through the same things thatI went through, and you'll
(20:58):
experience that too.
And and we do, right?
Whether it's the obviously notas extreme as being put on a
cross, but you know, thosethings happen.
And you know, whether you'reextreme left or extreme right,
uh now anymore, you know, I wasjust thinking about it this
morning.
I really don't, I'm not aRepublican, I'm not a Democrat,
I'm a conservative, I haveconservative ideas, I'm a
(21:20):
Christian.
Christian because that's that'swhat I am, right?
Um, and it just so happens thatthe Republican Party lines up
more with conservatism than theDemocrat Party right now.
And you know what?
Maybe in 57 years, maybe that'llbe different.
Maybe they'll flip-flop orsomething, who knows?
But whatever label you give thepolitical party, it's really not
about that.
It's about how is what who'sdoing lining up with my life in
(21:43):
Christ.
SPEAKER_02 (21:43):
Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00 (21:44):
And that's all that matters.
And so, you know, we get in thatdiscussion in class with the
young adults is you know, don'tlook at it as am I on the right
or left, am I blue or red, am Ipurple?
Am I no?
Is is what you believe in to betrue?
Does what whoever you're votingfor, do they push the truth?
Do they land on that?
Or are they compromising toculture?
And so who do you want to be ina position of power?
(22:08):
Right?
SPEAKER_01 (22:08):
That is such a big problem.
The the the culture, the churchused to conform the culture, and
now in many areas the culture isconforming the church,
absolutely, and that's where youhave um just massive problems
where and it usually starts withwell, we believe this part of
(22:32):
the Bible, but we don't we don'treally want to deal with this
part of the Bible, or we'regonna overlook this part of what
Jesus said, right.
Um, and that's how you end upwith the the whole doctrine of
uh it's just the gospel, it'sjust the gospel of love.
It has you know, the cross isn'tthere, the death, or
resurrection of Christ isn'tthere.
It's just love your neighbor.
(22:52):
Just and if you love yourneighbor, you won't offend them.
And that that well what wait aminute.
That's not what the gospel'sthat's not what any of the the
Bible, any of the Biblecharacters, they were some
offensive guys.
That's right.
They offended everybody, theyoffended everybody, man.
And it's like, I mean, so I justsee this, I see this problem in
culture, in our culture, whereuh uh the culture feels like
(23:16):
they have they even have a seatat the table as far as what
biblical doctrine should be.
That's right.
The culture does not have a seatat the table.
SPEAKER_00 (23:27):
The church is to conform, is to change the
culture, the church is to liveout the life that Christ lived
through them and impact impactthis rotten culture, but we've
seen it go the other way in somany areas, and that's a I think
the universal Christian church,whether it's pride or it's
(23:48):
feeling bad or it's beingembarrassed, generally general
universal Christian church, weneed to admit where we've gone
wrong, and we need to admit thatthere's certain areas that we as
Christians and as the churchhave failed, and one of those
glaring is just what you saidthat the culture impacts the
church.
The biggest part is how do we doSunday is Sunday school?
SPEAKER_01 (24:10):
Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00 (24:11):
The biggest way that that that the uh government
impacted education was with thedepartment of education, right?
And they come in, oh, it's gonnabe great, this department's
gonna do it.
Well, test scores and educationhas dropped, it's plummeted
since that went.
They spent a trillion bucks too.
That's right.
And so what they did was theysay, Well, we'll teach your
kids, so you send your kids tous and we'll teach them at
(24:34):
school, and you don't have toworry about teaching them at
home.
So the paradigm got flipped, andit was no longer the education
system and the communitysupporting the family.
Now it became the familysupporting the school.
Yeah, but we've done the samething with church, yeah, right.
It used to be the churchsupported the family at home,
yeah.
SPEAKER_02 (24:52):
Right.
SPEAKER_00 (24:53):
And now it's the church, the family comes to
church to support the church.
Johnny goes to Sunday school foran hour on Sunday, and I'm good
for the rest of the week.
I don't have to worry aboutteaching him verses, and I'm not
a theologian, and I don't knowHebrew, and I don't know.
Well, you know, we need to takeour excuses and throw them out
the window and step up and say,No, you need to be doing it at
(25:15):
home, and we will supplementwhat you're doing at home at the
church and we'll provide Sundayschool.
Yeah, but we are supporting thefamily, the family should not be
supporting the church, and sothat's the one way that culture
took that whole framework, whatthey did with school, and
infected some Sunday school andin the church.
SPEAKER_01 (25:36):
And yeah, and you know, I've given the example uh
over and over.
I I I tell the congreg differentcongregations, I told them, I
said, listen, what would happenif I ate for you?
SPEAKER_02 (25:47):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (25:48):
Right?
Like, first of all, you guyswould be all malnourished and
I'd be uh uh two 700 pounds ordead because of overeating.
Um I can't I can't eat the wordof God for you.
All I can do is I can help youand and and and uh maybe shed
some light on some areas, uh,encourage you in the word, but
(26:08):
if you're not eat if you're notgetting your own diet, and how
many Christians are Sunday, youknow, so they they get their
their dietary uh supplement onSunday, that's it.
And then the rest of the week,there's there's no you know, and
so that goes along with whatyou're saying as far as um you
(26:31):
know the the the church isshould be helping the family,
not the family helping thechurch, because that's how
people malnourished.
Oh, let me take it to my pastor,I want to share the gospel with
you.
I want let me take it to mypastor.
Like, what?
Wait a second.
The pastor's job is not to sharethe gospel with somebody that
(26:51):
you have run into.
That's right, although he shouldbe able to, but that's not his
job.
That's your job to share thehope that you have within you
with gentleness and kindness,but you are the one that's
supposed to share the hope.
The pastor is just to help equipyou to do the work of ministry.
That's why he gave some to bepastors, some to be teachers,
(27:13):
you know, that whole uh uhEphesians thing there, right
there.
You know the those gifts.
So um I just I feel passionateabout that because uh in in our
in the world it has reallyflipped where it's uh you know
(27:33):
the church is supposed to do thebut then if you look at it
though, there are a bunch ofthings that the church used to
do that the government is nowexpected to do instead of and
we've lost a sense of communitybecause the church no longer is
caring for unwed mothers andstuff like that in in a lot of
areas, not every area.
(27:54):
There are many churches that aredoing like you guys are are
doing some stuff like that.
You have your outreach centercoming up to uh or tell us about
it.
SPEAKER_00 (28:01):
We are so sure.
So we um purchased the 7-Elevenbuilding that was next to our
church, and uh we have convertedit and we're in the process of
finishing up the remodel, and weare offering English as a second
language classes, we're offeringGED prep classes, we have a food
pantry that we serve.
I believe we're up to 100registered families we serve out
(28:23):
of that food pantry now.
And the idea behind it is, andit's exactly what you know,
Pastor Scott Transky said.
You know, he stood up there oneday and explaining our outreach
center, and it's when you and itit goes right in line.
We have given the job of welfareassistance, whatever that looks
like, to the government.
They're really, really bad atit.
That should be the church's job,and so we as a church are taking
(28:45):
that responsibility on to say,you need food, we'll help.
You need to learn English, we'llhelp.
You need to go get your GED,we'll help.
You need, you know, we're gonnahave classrooms in there as well
where there's some expanding umthings we're gonna be doing.
Um, I can't share those thingsyet because they're still in the
um brainstorming phase.
SPEAKER_01 (29:03):
We'll have you back on we'll have you back on
another episode so you canexplain you and Scott Taransky.
SPEAKER_00 (29:10):
What's that?
You and Scott Taransky come comeon.
Oh, that would be wonderful.
I'm sure Scott would love to.
But um, yeah, there's a programthat we have that we've
realized, and I guess and Ican't really speak much publicly
about it right now, but it's aprogram that we're coming up
with that you don't see churchesengaged in enough.
And I think the statistics isone in four families are
(29:30):
affected with this.
And the church does not takethat opportunity to minister to
these people, and so we areworking in a way in how can we
do that for our community.
And so you also said anotherthing is I think the church has
gotten lazy, yeah, right,because the government's willing
to do so much, just like parentsget lazy because the
(29:52):
government's willing to do it,and so teaching hermeneutics,
teaching Christian terms such asredemption and reconciliation.
And uh, you know, all of thosethings, consecration.
And so when we when we allowwhen we allow that to happen,
right, you know, I asked most ofmy young adults, and even some
(30:13):
adults, I say hermeneutics andthey look at me cross-eyed and
they have no idea what I'mtalking about.
Every Christian should know whata hermeneutic is and have one.
SPEAKER_02 (30:20):
Right, right.
SPEAKER_00 (30:20):
And that's what allows you to read scripture,
that's what allows you to do itat home.
That's what allows you to teachyour children, because then
you're confident in teachingthem.
So I think, you know, again, Ithink the church we have to be
bold and mature enough to say,hey, this is where we've done
wrong, and we need to change it.
Right.
(30:41):
And so getting into thecommunity and giving food
pantries.
It's easy to give food, but wedon't just give food, we give
food, but we have every person,it's not like a drive-by where
you pull up, we put the food inyour car, and you drive away.
SPEAKER_01 (30:52):
Nice.
SPEAKER_00 (30:53):
You come into the pantry, we pray with you, we
talk with you, we get to knowyou.
Right.
And that's what kind of makesour pantry different.
Is we we spend time getting toknow in these families and
praying for them and drawingthem in.
We've had some of these familiescome from our food pantry to now
coming on Sunday, you know, andso you know, it's not about
growing numbers of the church,but it's about introducing them
(31:16):
to Jesus Christ and giving thema place to form a relationship
with him.
SPEAKER_01 (31:20):
Have you uh you you the church is in a fairly
affluent area.
Uh, I'm surprised.
Is there a need for for food?
Uh uh and have you beensurprised by I'm always
surprised because we were inTom's River and there was a food
pantry next door to the churchwe were in uh that I uh was
serving in and um in New Jersey,Tom's River, New Jersey, and uh
(31:43):
I couldn't bel I was shocked,man, at the lines of people and
these these were how do I saythis?
These were just uh your neighborlooking type people getting
getting food not trying to getover.
You know, I'm sure there's somecharacters that are trying to
get over, but these were freepantry jumpers.
(32:04):
Yeah, but these there were alsofolks there that were like I
gotta feed my kids and I can't,I I either gotta pay my mortgage
or I gotta buy food.
I you know, I can't do both, andor medicine, you know that that
kind of stuff.
And it's like yo, here in in uhyou the United States of
America, it's like that, it'slike 19 1929 all over again.
SPEAKER_02 (32:28):
Yeah, really?
SPEAKER_00 (32:29):
Well, I think a lot of it has to do with a couple
things.
One, there's obviously thosethat are needed that don't have
what they what they need andthey only have so much, and but
I think a lot more people livepaycheck to paycheck than we
realize.
Yeah, and so if you're livingpaycheck to paycheck, one
emergency sinks you, right?
One emergency will do it.
Yeah, and um, you know, when Iworked at a psych unit, we
always said one moment, one onemoment would put any one of us
(32:53):
on the other side of the desk asa patient.
And so the same thing applies,right?
And people when you're livingpaycheck to paycheck or you
don't have much of a cushion,any one moment, one event will
push you all the way backwards,right?
So we all we are also right nearTrent in New Jersey, which has a
huge need.
Yeah, and so you know, we doservice families in Trenton, but
(33:14):
we do serve a lot of familiesright in Hamilton.
And so where we are in Hamilton,it is, I mean, I guess you could
say affluent, so to speak, butuh there's probably another half
of Hamilton that is not likethat.
So, you know, we're right in thecenter of town, right where the
municipal building is.
So, you know, we are where thechurch is located in that
general area, um, it is.
(33:37):
But I would say, you know,probably half of Hamilton
definitely has deep needs,whether it be food or some type
of assistance, um, you know,whatever whatever that
assistance may look like.
Okay, man.
SPEAKER_01 (33:49):
Well, uh just my last question.
Uh in closing our interview, soyou can get back to your
chicken.
Um and thank you.
You know, uh uh maybe we'll doanother one soon so we can talk
about you know just the play andthe impact of the play at the
church.
Uh if you got any feedback oranything like that.
Um, so or you'll probably get itthis week coming up because
(34:11):
there's people I have somefeedback, but I'm sure I'll get
more.
Yeah, man.
So, you know, we'll we'll talkabout that, but I want to know
how entrenched are you there anduh at that church, uh, and how
hard is it gonna be for you tomove down to Leland to come down
to Calvary Southport?
That's what I want to know.
That's what I want to know.
SPEAKER_02 (34:30):
Oh man, you gotta put that question on me.
SPEAKER_00 (34:34):
Can we get a date locked in, man?
Oh no, there's no date.
The Lord has not given me adate, so I will say you need to
talk to my boss about that one.
My boss being uh the Lord up theLord.
Yep, yep.
No, it's you know, we are we areso blessed to be where we are,
and um, we are where we are atthe time we need to be here.
(34:57):
Yeah, um, however long thatseason is, we don't know.
We hope it's it's a good season.
Um, there's so many good people,but you know, it's hard when
your heart is split, like ourheart is, because you know, our
heart is with you guys downthere in Calvary Chapel, and you
know, kind of watching you guysfrom afar plant that place and
it's growing and they hear howyou guys are flourishing.
(35:18):
Um, it's hard to not, you know,to not be down there, but I
definitely have a split heartand uh I definitely want to be
down there more to visit withyou guys.
SPEAKER_01 (35:26):
I think he's gonna he's gonna bring you down, you
know, right when we have avibrant young adult uh uh
community, young familycommunity that's that's ready to
rock and roll, and you'realready trained up and ready to
rock and roll with it, man.
SPEAKER_00 (35:40):
Oh man.
See, yeah, no, God is so sogood.
And uh, you know, Annabellebeing in school, you know, we uh
I'm sure when everything linesup the way the Lord needs it to,
is when we'll be ready to move.
Right now, we're just we'rebeing Abraham.
That's what we're being.
SPEAKER_01 (35:55):
So if if I could persuade the Lego company to put
a Lego store in Southport, wouldthat help uh sway you, man?
I'm gonna do everything I can tosway you.
It wouldn't hurt.
SPEAKER_00 (36:06):
I mean, Legos, tacos, you know, if you can get
those two things, we might wemight be on to something.
SPEAKER_01 (36:11):
There's a taco place and a taco truck, you gotta try.
Uh, I'm working on the Legos.
Oh man.
Uh and I'm gonna open up aplanet fitness if I have to,
just to get you to come down.
I'll do whatever I can.
Uh we'll get a GNC or something,some supplements.
You know what I mean?
I'll give you a discount onsupplements.
SPEAKER_00 (36:29):
Protein and creatine, man.
SPEAKER_01 (36:31):
There we go.
And see, uh, you fellowChristians that are listening
right now, yes, the pastor isbribing the other pastor here.
Yes, I will re I will repent indust and ashes of this, but I'm
trying to persuade this guy.
Hey, you know what?
You notice this the the story inthe old testament where the the
prophet goes up to the otherprophet, and he's like, Yeah,
(36:52):
I'm a prophet too.
Uh the Lord said, come to myhouse, and the Lord didn't say
none of that.
SPEAKER_00 (36:58):
That's right.
You better be careful and makesure the Lord saw you.
SPEAKER_01 (37:04):
Yikes! Oh man, I'll leave a link in the just in the
show notes for you uh biblicallyuh illiterate folks where it is,
so you'll be able to laugh alongwith us.
Well, Mark Brabtree, thank youso much, brother.
unknown (37:17):
Thank you.
SPEAKER_00 (37:18):
Hey, it was so good to see you guys.
I'm so glad we had a chance togo out and get a meal together
and spend some family time.
You know, I know we are pastorpastors and colleagues, but we
are friends first and brothers,and it was good just to spend
time with you guys.
Amen.
Yes, no doubt.
SPEAKER_01 (37:33):
And we'll uh we'll we'll definitely be getting
together, God willing, soon.
And I'll be calling you anyway.
Just uh I still want to rap toyou about some just some uh some
church stuff and all we lookforward to it, all that kind of
stuff.
So do me a favor, tell everybodywe said hello there.
SPEAKER_00 (37:48):
We will, we will.
They're already talking, uhlooking to hope uh looking
forward to having you guys backwith uh one of the other plays.
So all right, and uh yeah, prayfor me because I'm I'm I really
want to launch Dan soon.
I really want to see Dan soon.
So I've been on the edge of myseat.
SPEAKER_01 (38:03):
Yes, sir, yes, sir.
Yeah, well, you've seen GenesisJoe now three times, I think.
SPEAKER_00 (38:08):
I think it's three, yeah.
Yeah, at least two.
I've seen Pete, I've seenChristmas Joe, and I've seen
Genesis Genesis Joe at leastmultiple times.
SPEAKER_01 (38:15):
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (38:16):
So uh and it's I'll tell you, no matter how many
times I see it, it it it's thesame.
It like it doesn't loseanything, it really doesn't.
SPEAKER_01 (38:24):
It's like it's like reading scripture.
SPEAKER_00 (38:27):
That's right.
SPEAKER_01 (38:28):
That that that's why that's why what I'm doing, I'm
kind of cheating, man, becausemy the stuff I'm using is alive,
you know.
My yeah, somebody already wroteit for you.
The subject matter is living, soI'm I'm kind of cheating, man.
People are like, oh, you're sucha great actor, oh it's such such
a great story, and I'm like,Yeah, I had nothing to do with
that.
SPEAKER_00 (38:49):
It's nice when God writes the script for you, too,
right?
You can't beat that, you knowwhat I mean?
SPEAKER_01 (38:54):
Like, really, think about that.
Like, God wrote the script, eventhe humor.
SPEAKER_00 (38:58):
That's right.
Yeah, even the human, even thehumor.
That's what I that's what I loveabout God is his human, like the
human not that we see humannessin him, but we see him in us.
SPEAKER_01 (39:07):
Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00 (39:08):
When we see him be sarcastic or humorous with us or
the other people in the in theold testament.
So, brother, will you guys besafe traveling?
Let us let us keep in touch, letus know how you're doing.
All right, man.
SPEAKER_01 (39:19):
God bless you.
SPEAKER_00 (39:19):
Love you much, man.
God bless.
All right.
Uh love you both.
Bye.
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