The Cloverdale Baptist Podcast

Love keeps no record of wrong. How can we as Christians live out this difficult yet necessary calling?

With over 30 years of experience in the world of fundraising, our elder Paul Weme shares with us some practical steps to invest our treasures to further Gods Kingdom, so one day we can hear Well done, good and faithful servant.

Pastor Rob challenges us to read and grow in the knowledge of God this coming year, starting with the most important book, His Word. Here he shares the top six books he read in 2023, as well as a few Christian authors he recommends:

1. Praying with Paul by D.A. Carson
2. Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
3. Doesn't Hurt to Ask by Trey Gowdy
4. Five Lies of Our Anti-Christian Age by Rosaria Butterfield
5. In His Image by Michael J. Wilkins
6. When People Are Big and God Is Small by Edward T. Welch

Recommended Authors:
- John Piper
- D.A. Carson
- Mark Jones

How should we respond when those we love choose a life of disobedience? Pastor Rob shares 5 practical steps to lead them to Jesus in love while remaining faithful to God.

Our behaviour is driven by our worldview. How can we reshape it to align with God's Word and help others do the same?

Amidst the chaos and turmoil unfolding in our world, how can we respond in a manner that brings glory to God?

Seven points for Christians to consider when engaging in politics as aliens of this world and citizens of heaven.

Also see:
"Politics, Patriotism, and the Pulpit" by Ask Pastor John.
"Why Does Piper Avoid Politics and What's Trending?" by Ask Pastor John.

With the ever-increasing pressures to normalize what the Bible clearly addresses as sin, how can we remain faithful to the Word and not lose sight of the mission we've been sent on?

How should Christians respond to issues happening in our culture and society? Are we fighting the wrong war? Pastor Rob kicks off our new podcast series Understanding the Times, where we'll interact with pressing issues believers face in a world that has distorted the truth.

Jesus summarized the entire Old Testament relationally. What does that mean for us today and how can we make sure our lives are driven and defined by a first-love relationship with God?

As we see the number of dechurched Christians rapidly increasing, we need to be reminded that God has commanded the gathering of believers. The church is a place to encourage one another, lest we are hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, and where each part does its work as the Body of Christ by serving one another.

God did not create us to live the Christian life in isolation, but in relationship with him and one another. Corporate prayer is one of the avenues that afford us this privilege and when Gods people come together to worship Him in this way, it magnifies the glory that we give Him.

Having a biblical worldview means understanding and seeing life based on what Gods Word teaches, not culture or tradition. In part two of this gospel series, Pastor Rob shares with us a few practical steps to become Word-saturated in a world so full of distractions.

Are we content with the current state of our faith and lack a desire to grow more? Have we settled with having enough gospel in our lives to make us feel good but not enough to transform us?

As AI becomes more integrated into our lives, we ponder how it may reshape spiritual practices and religious experiences. Can AI assist in worship, prayer, or spiritual guidance? What are the limits and potential pitfalls of relying on AI in matters of faith? (Title and episode description created by ChatGPT)

The last few years have forced us to ask ourselves, is church really essential? Guest speaker at our upcoming conference, Pastor Sam Chua, joins us to express his concerns with the health of the church at the individual level and encourages us to value it as God does. He also invites listeners to attend the Church Is Essential Conference on June 10, 2023 at Cloverdale Baptist Church.

Our friend Mark Jones joins us once again to discuss the trivialization of regular church attendance that has been plaguing Christianity for years, with the recent pandemic further exacerbating the issue.

When issues arise in the church and the world, how do we avoid being traditionalists, where we build doctrinal fortresses that are not biblical, or culturalists, where we try to get as close as possible to the line of culture without crossing it?

How can we determine if a disagreement is worth putting unity at risk? Can we passionately disagree on an issue and still love one another?

Despite it being called Good Friday, when correctly understood, it is actually the worst day in history. But Sunday is coming...

This time of the year, the church calendar focuses on the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. How can we as Christians take full advantage of this season to grow in our love for God and align ourselves with the mission He has given us in this world?

Submit your questions at info@cloverdalebaptist.ca and well answer them in future episodes.

As the world becomes more and more corrupt, the topic of the end times has become increasingly popular. In light of the second coming, how does the book of Revelation tell us were to live and how can we avoid getting caught up in the different interpretations of the texts?

Watch our sermon series on Revelation:
www.cloverdalebaptist.ca/Revelation

Pastor Rob and his wife Lori were recently invited to speak at a conference in the Middle East where they equipped and supported Christians who face intense persecution for their faith.

How do we put Gods purpose for marriage on display in a world that has completely distorted this divine union between a man and a woman?

We live in a world that wants to shape the worldview of our youth and young adults, telling them who they are and made to be. How can we help them stay true to the biblical worldview and not cave in to cultural beliefs?

Pastor Rob challenges us to read and grow in the knowledge of God this year, starting with the most important book, His Word. Here he shares the top five books he read in 2022, along with some honorable mentions:

1. Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald Whitney
2. Gospel Wakefulness by Jared Wilson
3. Above All J. D. Greear
4. Filling Up the Afflictions of Christ by John Piper
5. Keep in Step with the Spirit by J. I. Packer

As we start a new year, Pastor Rob takes a moment to reflect on the ways God has used our church to impact millions of lives around the globe through various ministries in the last few decades and encourages us to respond with a passion to serve Him and be used by Him.

Christmas is one of the most important celebrations for Christians. And yet it is so easy to miss its real meaning when so many cultural traditions keep us busy and distracted during the season.

This episode is part of our ongoing Q&A podcast series. Submit your questions at info@cloverdalebaptist.ca and we will answer them in future episodes.

What is Advent and why is it celebrated every Christmas? Our worship director Johnny Markin joined us once again to share some of its history and symbolism, and explain how we can benefit from this age-long tradition.

Spiritual warfare is a reality that Christians face every day, but how do we avoid falling for silly myths and engage in battle with a biblical perspective?

This episode is part of our ongoing Q&A podcast series. Submit your questions at info@cloverdalebaptist.ca and we will answer them in future episodes.

Several decades ago, Cloverdale Baptist Church sent a missionary couple to a Muslim country. Today one of them is joining us to share how God has been working through their radio ministry to bring the gospel to thousands of Muslims, equipping them to persevere through deadly persecution for their faith.

Please join us in praying for our brothers and sisters who are facing persecution around the world.

Is belief in a literal Genesis 1-11 essential for Christians? If not, can we believe that we are products of evolution where death has always been around? These are some of the questions from our listeners that we interacted with on this weeks episode.

Send us your questions at info@cloverdalebaptist.ca and well answer them in future episodes!

In this weeks episode, were starting a new Q&A series where Pastor Rob will be answering some great questions submitted by our listeners. Our overarching theme for our first Q&A is the authority and importance of the Biblewhy do we trust and preach the Bible?

Send us your questions at info@cloverdalebaptist.ca and we will answer them in future episodes!

Dwight Stephen recently came on staff at Cloverdale Baptist Church as the Pastor of Families with a Focus on Children. He is passionate about training and equipping parents to disciple their children at home and in this weeks podcast episode, Pastor Dwight shared with us the top 3 priorities families must have to effectively disciple kids at home.

How do we seek to understand the times and respond to issues biblically rather than culturally? In this episode, Pastor Rob reflects on Hebrews 12:1-3, a passage that encourages us to remain loyal to Gods Word and His church in a world where it can be exhausting and difficult to do so.

Does Christianity actually work when things are difficult in our lives and the world? Pastor Rob shares an encouraging message of the immovable hope we have in Jesus and reminds us to lay aside the worldly distractions that weigh us down.

Jack Eggar, former president of AWANA and founder of the Global Childrens Network, joined Pastor Rob (a director of the GCN) to tell us about the Malachi Kids program, a worldwide ministry born at Cloverdale Baptist Church where pastors are equipped to lead and train parents to become spiritual leaders. In turn, parents become spiritual trainers of their children in their homes.

Learn more: www.globalchildrensnetwork.org

Our Worship Director, Johnny Markin breaks down the biblical structure of worship services and what goes on behind the scenes when planning Christ-centred and God-exalting services at Cloverdale Baptist Church. Johnny holds a Doctor of Worship Studies degree and has led worship ministries in churches in the UK and Canada for more than 2 decades. Over the years, he has written and recorded several albums of original music.

A timely devotional from Pastor Rob Godard on why God and His children value human life from womb to tomb. "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well." (Psalm 139:13-14)

Ray Dueck is the pastor of Care & Outreach at CBC and in this episode he shares a few practical steps to live on mission for the Gospel.

The Canadian government recently passed Bill C-4 in order to outlaw Conversion Therapy, a practice that has been defined in very broad terms. Last week, Pastor Rob was joined by Pastor Jonathan Griffiths, a fellow member of the TGC Canada council, to discuss how this bill affects the Canadian church and believers and how we are to respond in light of the biblical truths.

Cloverdale Baptist Church
www.cloverdalebaptist.ca

Our guest Lee Wiebe walks us through 5 steps to accomplish a mission, whether you are a leader or simply want to make a change in your life. Lee has several years of leadership experience in the industry as the former Vice President of an international company as well as in our church, where he currently serves as the chair of Elders.

Fellow pastor and author Mark Jones gives us a glimpse into his recent book, Knowing Sin, where he defines what sin is and why we should deal with each sin specifically.

This episode will be accompanied with a giveaway to win a signed copy of Mark Jones Knowing Christ or Knowing Sin. To participate, visit cloverdalebaptist.ca/Podcasts

Children matter to Cloverdale Baptist Church because they matter to Jesus. Robyn Dueck has decades of experience in serving children, developing programs that have impacted thousands of lives throughout the years. In this episode, Robyn shares her passion and priorities for Children's Ministry and the parents' role to disciple their children at home.

Mile One Mission director and friend from Newfoundland, Steve Bray, joined Pastor Rob Godard to discuss some of the challenges they faced in the last couple years and shared their desire for the church to flourish in a post-pandemic world.

Pastor Rob Godard and Worship Director Johnny Markin discuss the importance and centrality of the death and resurrection of Jesus.