The Immersion Podcast

The 6th episode of our special series What God Has Done. Pastor Shannon Scott of MVBC is coming up on 46 years as Pastor of this church, and 57 total years as a pastor. We are continuing a series of episodes of the Immersion Podcast where we hear from Pastor Shannon about all that God has done during this time: the lessons learned, the ways He has blessed and been blessed, the many wonderful people along the way, and the encouragement it brings us today. In this sixth episode of the series, Pastor Shannon speaks with host Daniel Brown about how most of his pastoral education came from experiences with many other Christians - pastors, deacons, widows, church members, and friends - from his teenage years even into his first churches. We wish you all a merry Christmas; the next episode of this series with Pastor Shannon will be avaiable soon in the new year.

The 5th episode of our special series What God Has Done. Pastor Shannon Scott of MVBC is coming up on 46 years as Pastor of this church, and 57 total years as a pastor. We are excited to continue a series of episodes of the Immersion Podcast where we hear from Pastor Shannon about all that God has done during this time: the lessons learned, the ways He has blessed and been blessed, the many wonderful people along the way, and the encouragement it brings us today. In this fifth episode of the series, Pastor Shannon speaks with host Daniel Brown about mentoring many young pastors and missionaries over the years, which has led to missions all over the world. The next episode of this series with Pastor Shannon will be available very soon.

The 4th episode of our special series What God Has Done. Pastor Shannon Scott of MVBC is coming up on 46 years as Pastor of this church, and 57 total years as a pastor. We are excited to continue a series of episodes of the Immersion Podcast where we hear from Pastor Shannon about all that God has done during this time: the lessons learned, the ways He has blessed and been blessed, the many wonderful people along the way, and the encouragement it brings us today. In this fourth episode of the series, Pastor Shannon speaks with host Daniel Brown about the early history of Mt. Vernon, and then during his time here of his service to conventions and associations with the aim of cooperation to proclaim the gospel. The next episode of this series with Pastor Shannon will be available very soon.

Part 3 of the Early Years with Pastor Shannon and his wife Zelma. Pastor Shannon Scott of MVBC is coming up on 46 years as Pastor of this church, and 57 total years as a pastor. We are excited to begin a series of episodes of the Immersion Podcast where we hear from Pastor Shannon about all that God has done during this time: the lessons learned, the ways He has blessed, the many wonderful people along the way, and the encouragement it brings us today. In this third episode of the series, Pastor Shannon and his wife Zelma continue their conversation with host Daniel Brown about the early years in ministry. This conversation is split into 3 parts; this is Part 3. The next episode of this series with Pastor Shannon will be available very soon.

Pastor Shannon Scott of MVBC is coming up on 46 years as Pastor of this church, and 57 total years as a pastor. We are excited to begin a series of episodes of the Immersion Podcast where we hear from Pastor Shannon about all that God has done during this time: the lessons learned, the ways He has blessed, the many wonderful people along the way, and the encouragement it brings us today. In this second episode of the series, Pastor Shannon and his wife Zelma continue their conversation with host Daniel Brown about the early years in ministry. This conversation is split into parts; this is Part 2. Part 3 will be available very soon.

Pastor Shannon Scott of MVBC is coming up on 46 years as Pastor of this church, and 57 total years as a pastor. We are excited to begin a series of episodes of the Immersion Podcast where we hear from Pastor Shannon about all that God has done during this time: the lessons learned, the ways He has blessed, the many wonderful people along the way, and the encouragement it brings us today. In this first episode of the series, Pastor Shannon and his wife Zelma both join host Daniel Brown and remember the early years in ministry. This conversation is split into parts, and the next part will be available very soon.

Host Daniel Brown, Pastor Shannon Scott, and MVBC's Mike DeVaughn share an introduction to Lot of the Bible. We encourage you not only to listen, but to explore the stories yourself. This podcast coincides with the new teaching series on Lot at MVBC. Join us on Sundays at 10:30am at the church, or live on our website mvbcraleigh.com.  

-Why study Lot? (1:46)

-Where do we find Lot in the Bible? (5:37)

-Summarizing the biblical narrative including Lot (7:16)

-“The Days of Lot” - being ready for Christ’s return (Luke 17) (19:50)

Lot described as a righteous man (2 Peter 2) (24:15)

Live for the Lord right now (26:24)

We sit down with our good friend Finny - a former member of Mt. Vernon - to hear about missions in Ecuador, and Daniel and Ivan discuss with him how we can be involved: praying, going, giving. To be involved, you can reach out to Ivan at ivancrissman@yahoo.com. You can also reach us at podcast@mvbcraleigh.com. 

2:43 Growing up poor, but rich in the Word of God

5:22 Origins of the work in Ecuador

7:01 Challenges for missions in this area

10:25 What it's like in Ecuador

12:28 Vision for God's work there

15:28 Stories from Ecuador

20:19 How we can be a part: pray

21:35 How we can be a part: go on a short-term mission trip

26:15 How we can be a part: give

27:34 Final thoughts and prayer

Join host Daniel Brown and Pastor Kevin Moore in a conversation on an essential part of the Christian life: prayer. This discussion grew from a study using Rick Astle's The Priority of Kingdom-Focused Prayer. We also invite you to share a testimony of prayer in your life; reach out to us at podcast@mvbcraleigh.com. 

What is Prayer? (4:16)

The Power of Words (5:12)

Communion with God (7:00)

ACTS - Forms of Prayer (10:19)

We Were Created to Pray (16:50)

The Trinity in Prayer (18:07)

The Lord's Prayer - the Perfect Model (19:30)

Submitting to God's Will with Confidence and Hope (22:14)

Pray on Faith, Not on Status (26:32)

Prayer Provides Power in a Dark World (29:45)

Practical Applications (33:12)

Our Prayer for You (37:48)

Host Daniel Brown and Pastor Joshua Blythe share an introduction to the book of 1 Peter. We encourage you not only to listen, but to explore the riches of this book of the Bible yourself. This podcast coincides with the new teaching series on 1 Peter at MVBC. Join us on Sundays at 10:30am at the church, or live on our website mvbcraleigh.com.  

-Peter, the Author: His Background (2:59)

-Peter's activities in the Book of Acts (6:54)

-1 Peter - About the Book and Occasion for Writing (11:22)

-Major Themes of the Letter
    -Salvation (22:37)
    -Identity of the Christian Believer (24:41)
    -Conduct of the Christian Believer (26:48)
    -Suffering (33:13)

-Other Characters and Connections (34:51)

Season 2, Episode 1. Host Daniel Brown and Pastor Shannon Scott are joined by Beth Mull, Triangle Area Director for Love Life. Much has happened since our December 2021 cultural conversation on abortion. The Supreme Court upheld the Mississippi law restricting abortion and overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022. Thanks be to God, this is a huge decision for life, but there is still much to do, as we agree with God that each and every life has dignity and infinite value, and should be protected.

What is Love Life? (1:07)

The overturning of Roe v. Wade (3:36)

What does the Bible say about those who have not yet been born? (6:02)

      - Psalm 139:13-16

      - Jeremiah 1:4-5

      - Luke 1:39-44

Where do things stand now in the USA, and in North Carolina, regarding abortion? (11:47)

Love Life and Local Church Partnering Opportunities (29:16)

Internet Resources/Pregnancy Support:

Love Life - Uniting and mobilizing the church to create a culture of love and life that will result in an end to abortion and the orphan crisis - https://lovelife.org

Health for Her - Pregnancy Support Center at 4237 Louisburg Road in Raleigh, part of the Human Coalition - https://www.humancoalition.org/what-we-do/contact-center/

https://www.humancoalition.org/what-we-do/womens-care-clinics/

https://www.humancoalition.org/what-we-do/continuum-of-care/

Please also reach out to us at MVBC Raleigh at www.mvbcraleigh.com/contact, by phone at (919) 847-0160, or join us on Sundays at 10:30am (7600 Falls of Neuse Rd in Raleigh).

Episode 16. We sit down for a special conversation with Vadym Bondarenko and Ivan Crissman about their time last month in Hungary working with refugees coming from Ukraine.

3:03 How this trip came about

6:42 Large family of Roma refugees from Ukraine in a small Hungarian village

15:03 Vadym’s time at a refugee welcome center in Budapest

19:39 Vadym’s time at the Hungarian/Ukrainian border

23:16 The situation inside Ukraine

26:46 The significance of these opportunities

29:16 Ivan relates a story from another refugee family

32:03 The impact of just being there

36:01 Our mission is everywhere

Episode 15. What is Critical Race Theory? Where did it come from, and why is it contrary to biblical teaching? Join Daniel, Joshua Blythe, and Ivan Crissman for this cultural conversation.

Where does CRT come from? Critical Theory.

6:33 Offered as a solution to maladies of society

8:49 Four steps historically in the development of critical theory (which led to CRT)

9:46 (1) Hegel: dialectical process (19th century)

12:10 (2) Marx: economics and materialism (later 19th century)

13:50 (3) Gramsci: cultural hegemony (early 20th century)

15:08 (4) The Frankfurt School: structural inequities in society (early-mid 20th century)

What is CRT?

17:22 CRT is critical theory applied to race

19:01 Places CRT is showing up today

20:32 Cancel culture

Why CRT is not biblical:

21:23 The CRT worldview is based on subjective truth through experience/perception. The biblical worldview is based on objective truth, revealed from God. 

23:44 The CRT worldview is based on collectivism and group identity. The biblical worldview is based on individual identity before God.

24:38 The CRT worldview elevates “race” as the primary distinguishing trait between people. In the biblical worldview, ethnic identity is merely a backdrop for God’s storyline of grace and redemption.

26:29 The CRT worldview uses a concept of “distributive justice” to rectify perceived wrongs. The biblical worldview presents justice as based in God’s perfect character as revealed in the truth of Scripture.

28:11 CRT has no clear ends or aims; it is only destructive/negative. The biblical worldview aims toward perfect and ideal ends.

30:27 CRT doesn’t grapple with a person’s sin nature, but attempts to force external compliance. The biblical worldview deals with a person’s sin nature at the heart level, changing a person’s heart through the gospel.

31:08 CRT has no means of forgiveness or justification. In the biblical worldview, forgiveness and justification come through personal repentance and faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ. 

34:00 How should Christians respond to CRT? Don’t seek to be divisive; the gospel and God’s Word are sufficient; focus on spiritual ends.

38:53 Ephesians Chapter 2 speaks to these issues exceptionally well. Read and meditate on it.

46:19 Peace to those who were far away, peace to those who were near.

1:24 God is the supreme authority; God instituted civil government (Genesis 9:5-6)

4:54 Nations' resistance to God's righteous rule (Psalm 2, Jeremiah 10:6-7)

6:10 The Christian's relation to governmental authority (Romans 13:1-7)

9:32 In a fallen world, governments are made up of fallen people (Ephesians 6:12ff; Isaiah 50:20)

11:05 The Church's role toward government (Ephesians 3:8-10; 1 Timothy 3:15)

12:29 The individual Christian's role (Romans 12:18ff; 1 Peter 2:1-3, 12-17; 1 Timothy 2:1-4)

18:50 God has delegated authority to civil government, individuals

19:42 What about when there is conflict?

23:59 Biblical example of conflict with government: read the book of Daniel (Daniel 1-6)

24:29 Key question: What exactly is the government asking/mandating? (Proverbs 18:13, Philippians 4:5)

27:20 Key question: Does compliance involve sinning by necessity? (Acts 4:13-20; 5:25-29; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Daniel 3, 6)

30:23 Spheres of authority (Luke 12:13-14)

31:43 Key question: Would compliance establish a harmful precedent? (Acts 16:35-40)

36:22 Key question: Is there an alternate, non-sinful way that might be suggested? (Daniel 1)

40:54 "Not a defiance to one thing, but an obedience to The Number One Thing" (Acts 4)

42:28 Key question: What is the best expression of love for God and neighbor? (Luke 6:6-10; 13:10-17)

43:00 Key question: What action will be most helpful for my gospel witness? (Matthew 17:24-27)

Additional resources: Caesar and the Church by Anthony Forsyth; Politics According to the Bible by Wayne Grudem

Episode 13. In this conversation on depression, we cannot hope to solve this issue in half an hour, but we need to talk about it in the church. We want to point you to what God says about depression and overcoming it. We also want our church to have a kind and gentle response to anyone dealing with depression. Join Daniel, Pastor Shannon, and Crystal for this cultural conversation.

0:58 Depression is an issue, and has always been

3:32 We need to talk about depression in the church

4:28 One Scriptural Example - Elijah (1 Kings 19)

9:10 How we should respond to depression

13:32 God (and God's people) minister to those who are depressed

16:31 Talk to one another rather than being silent

19:47 Keep God's Word in your heart

21:23 Social media: it doesn't help

23:04 Counseling

24:41 Respond in love

Episode 12. Our intention for this "Doctrine Dive" into the biblical teaching that we are created in the image of God is to give you a foundation for understanding who we uniquely are as the crown of God's creation, and what that means for how we view ourselves, others, and every human being. This podcast is foundational for several upcoming cultural conversations we will have this year.

0:54 Intro to the subject

2:30 The Trinity and creation

4:41 "Let us make man in our image..."

7:10 The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 Article III. "Man" See also http://mvbcraleigh.com/our-vision/what-we-believe/

8:19 What does "image of God" mean?

13:35 Six observations about what the image of God is and isn't (Millard Erickson, Christian Theology, 2nd ed. pp. 532, 533)

15:49 The image was not lost in the fall of man

26:00 Christ, the image of the invisible God

27:26 How we can apply the image of God in our culture (seeing ourselves, seeing others as image-bearers)

34:29 Conclusion: What is man, that God is mindful of him?

Scripture references: Genesis 1; 1:26-27; 9:6-7; Psalm 8; Ecclesiastes 3:11; Mark 1:9-11; Acts 17:28-29; Romans 1:16ff; Colossians 1:15; Colossians 3:10; James 3:9-10

Episode 11. As we begin our 2022 podcast schedule, we share an introduction to the book of Philippians. We encourage you not only to listen, but to explore the riches of this book of the Bible yourself. This podcast coincides with the new teaching series on Philippians at MVBC.

-Paul, the Author (1:48)

-Philippi, a Roman Colony in Macedonia, Greece (4:29)

-The Founding of the Philippian Church (9:19)

-How Paul Got to Rome, the Place He Wrote From (13:20)

-The Occasion for Writing (18:18)

-Major Themes of the Letter (19:55)

-Wrap-Up and Previewing Our Next Podcast (28:50)

Episode 10. Join us for a special episode! When we planned the first season of the Immersion Podcast this fall, we intended to go through the Thrive Series and our "Aspiring to..." podcasts, then return in early 2022 with cultural conversations. With the Mississippi Abortion Law being before the Supreme Court this month, we felt this to be an especially good time to bring this subject before our audience. 

We mention several Scripture passages in this podcast which are listed in the notes below. We also wish to include some internet resources for those in need; you'll find these at the bottom of this description. Please also reach out to us at MVBC Raleigh at www.mvbcraleigh.com/contact, by phone (919) 847-0160, or join us on Sundays at 10:30am.

Biblically/Morally - What God says about the unborn (2:18)

      - Genesis 1:26

      - Genesis 25:23

      - Psalm 139:13-16

      - Isaiah 49:1, 5

      - Jeremiah 1:4-5

      - Luke 1:13-15

      - Luke 1:39-44

      - Galatians 1:15

Scientifically - When does human life begin? (9:04)

Constitutionally/Legally - The Dobbs Case, Overturning Roe? (19:00)

How we can pray (32:20)

Internet Resources/Pregnancy Support:

https://www.thewomens.clinic/raleigh/

https://www.humancoalition.org/what-we-do/contact-center/

https://www.humancoalition.org/what-we-do/womens-care-clinics/

https://www.humancoalition.org/what-we-do/continuum-of-care/

https://bethany.org/get-help/pregnancy

https://www.handofhope.net/our-services

Episode 9. We continue discussing the fifth of the five challenges revealed to us over the last 18 months, and its matching idea that with God's help we can aspire to. Covenant membership has been a focus of our teaching series at MVBC - "Thrive: A Flourishing Church in a Struggling World." In Part 2 of this podcast (Part 1 was the prior Episode 8), we take a deep dive into covenant, and how church membership is "covenantal."

We mention several Scripture passages in this podcast which are listed in the notes below. These passages are a sample but are not a comprehensive list.

-God's covenants (1:57)

    ...with Noah (Genesis 8:20ff)

    ...with Abraham (Genesis 15)

    ...with Moses and all Israel (Exodus 19)

    ...with David (2 Samuel 7)

-Assembly - Genesis 35:11 (3:00)

-Passover - Exodus 12:6 (4:42)

-Renewals of the Covenant (9:24)

    -Deuteronomy 27-28

    -Joshua 8:30-35

    -Joshua 24

    -1 Kings 8

    -2 Kings 23

    -Nehemiah 8, 9, 10

-The New Covenant (17:44)

    -Jeremiah 31:31ff

    -Luke 22:14ff

    -1 Peter 2

    -1 John 5:2-3

-Application: membership is "covenantal" (26:57)

Episode 8. We are discussing the fifth of the five challenges revealed to us over the last 18 months, and its matching idea that with God's help we can aspire to. Covenant membership has been a focus of our teaching series at MVBC - "Thrive: A Flourishing Church in a Struggling World." In part 1 of this podcast, we discuss membership related to the cultural challenge. In part 2, which will be released next week, we'll take a deep dive into "covenant."

-Cultural challenge: less commitment (2:14)

-Consumerism (7:41)

-Implications for the church (9:36)

-Two ways the culture can affect our view of church membership - 1 Corinthians 12 (11:40)

-Do we really need to have an active church membership? 1 Cor. 12, Ephesians 4 (18:15)

-Who are we? Who's in the body? 1 Corinthians 14:40 (25:56)

-Fundamental parts of church membership (31:22)

-In Part 2 (our next podcast), how church membership is "covenantal" (37:38)