Westside Unscripted

Un-virtual Reality

Are human bodies more than mere clumps of cells? Do they have any value? Do they have any purpose? Do they have any meaning? Our culture increasingly answers these questions with a resounding no, treating human bodies as blank canvases, raw pieces  of clay to be modified or preserved, celebrated or terminated, just as we see fit.  

Pastor Peter introduces his summer series, "Un-virtual Reality: Why We Can't Escape Our Bodies (and Why We Shouldn't Try)" by talking us through the need for a focus on the human body. 

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

The Curse Against Ham

No, we're not talking about the Levitical prohibition against eating pork. We're talking about Noah's son and the curse he received in Genesis 9. Pastor Peter breaks down what he thinks is going on in that text and how it can be applicable to us today.

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

Which Reading? An Examination of a Textual Variant

The King James translation includes the phrase "without cause" into Matthew 5:22 but most newer translations exclude the phrase. Which is correct? Pastor Peter answers this question and helps us think through how we should approach sticky textual questions like this one.

Recommended Reading from this Episode:

Skins, Strongholds, and the Limits of a Culture War Mindset

Social Media and the Lack of Boundaries (with some reference to Tim Keller...)

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

The Mechanics of the Lord’s Supper

Taking a seat at the Lord's table is an essential part of the Christian life. The bread and wine signify the body and blood of the risen Christ whom we follow. Does the way we distribute and partake of the elements have special significance as well?

Recommended from this Episode:

American Underdog

Begotten or Made? by Oliver O'Donovan

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

The Textual Confidence Collective

Pastor Peter and myself recently recorded a forthcoming podcast series with the Textual Confidence Collective. On today's episode, he explains what the Textual Confidence Collective is and how we hope this podcast bolsters Christian's confidence in the Scriptures we hold in our hands today. 

Recommended Reading from this Episode:

Eve in Exile - Rebekah Merkle

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

Feed the Light, Part 2

Pastor Peter is unavailable to be with us for this week's episode, so we are playing part two of the sessions from last year's men's retreat entitled, "Feed the Light."

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

Feed the Light, Part 1

Pastor Peter is unavailable to be with us for this week's episode, so we are playing part one of the sessions from last year's men's retreat entitled, "Feed the Light."

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

The Avenger of Blood

What's going on with the avenger of blood and the cities of refuge in the Old Testament? That's the question Pastor Peter thinks through on this week's episode of Westside Unscripted. He and Josh talk through the principles of justice that undergird this practice and extend to all human societies. 

Recommended Reading from this Episode:

Becoming C.S. Lewis - Harry Lee Poe

Civilization and Control - Jonathan Pageau & Paul Kingsnorth

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

The Keys of the Kingdom

The church has been given the keys of the kingdom. What we bind on earth is bound in heaven and what we loose on earth is loosed in heaven. What happens when we get it wrong? Pastor Peter talks through how we should think about the relationship between God's action and man's action on today's episode of Westside Unscripted.

Recommended Reading from this Episode:

Church Discipline - Jonathan Leeman

Don't Fire Your Church Members - Jonathan Leeman

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.

Excellence in the Coal Mine

We take a detour this week from answering listener questions to riff off the idea found in an article by Aaron Renn (linked below). He proposes that since conservatives often do not invest time and resources in original research, they find themselves working within the framework established by the left. Pastor Peter explains how this tendency shows up in the broader church community and how churches like ours can cultivate a love of excellence in academia and in every day life. 

Conservitives Don't Do Research

If you have a question that you would like Pastor Peter to address on Westside Unscripted, please email it to josh@bibledirectionforlife.com.