We Make Christians is a podcast hosted by Dr. Kyle David Bennett, Peter Chace and Rev. Dr. Nathanael Devlin for Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church as we are on mission to make Christians. Episodes are updated weekly.

E1: Why We Make Christians (Part 1 of 2)

In this inaugural episode, Kyle, Pete and Pastor Nate explain the purpose of this podcast for the church and why it’s important that Beverly Heights is on mission to make Christians. 

E2: Why We Make Christians (Part 2 of 2)

Part 2 of “Why We Make Christians,” Kyle, Pete and Pastor Nate continue to discuss the Church as the Christian’s mother who nourishes, disciples, disciplines, and makes Christians who can faithfully and earnestly represent Christ in the world. 

E3: Church Announcements are Political

Everything the Church does is political. E v e r y t h i n g.  Including church announcements. In this episode, Kyle, Pete and Pastor Nate discuss the political nature and goal of church announcements. Church announcements are not a disruption of a worship service but the very lifeblood of worship and service. 

E4: No More Will-Worship

The modern Evangelical church takes a Burger King approach to worship: “Have it your way.”  Preferences are privileged; wills are worshipped. But the Lord God Almighty has prescribed how He desires to be worshipped and served. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss why we worship the way we do at Beverly Heights. Why celebrate the Lord’s Supper weekly? Why sing those ol’ Psalms? Why refrain from clapping?

E5: The Problem with Egalitarianism (Part 1)

What do feminism, no-fault divorce, abortion, homosexuality, and transgenderism have in common? Egalitarianism. Egalitarianism says that we’re all the same. Differences don’t make a difference. Gender doesn’t really matter. Roles can be swapped. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss what the Bible has to say about egalitarianism, patriarchy, and headship.

E6: The Problem with Egalitarianism (Part 2)

The egalitarian mindset is anti-nature and arrogant. It plays fast and loose with God’s ordinances. It doesn’t value roles or offices. It believes that we can transcend everything, including nature. It tells us that we don’t have to submit to anything or anyone anymore. We can be our own gods! Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they continue in their discussion of the problem with egalitarianism.

E7: Repent. Believe. Forgive. Repeat.

What do you do when you get frustrated, disappointed, angry, or sad? What do you tell yourself? “Get over it.” “It’s their fault.” “This is too much to handle, Lord.” Or, “He is sovereign.” “Lord, help me let go and give this to you.” Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss trusting in the Lord during difficult times and the need for Christians to repent, believe, and forgive on a daily basis. 

E8: Three Votes for Sovereignty

Jesus isn’t wondering who will win this 2024 Presidential Election. He isn’t worried that He will be ousted from His throne. He is in control, and we can have proper confidence that He is actively reigning, no matter the outcome. But how shall we then vote? How should Christians think about Church and State relations? Are we allowed to stick our heads in the sand for a while? Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss how to be a faithful and active church in the midst of a tumultuous election season. 

E9: We Make Little Christians

Parenting is ardous and laborious. But it’s also rewarding and significant. The Lord has blessed our congregation with a heritage and we get to form tiny image-bearers, prepare future worshippers, and educate citizens of His kingdom. When it comes to the worship service on the Lord’s Day, don’t buy the lie that children are a distraction or disruption. That’s not how Jesus sees things. But how do we incorporate them into the Body while we worship?

E10: Perfectionism, The Tyrant

Are pastors allowed to make mistakes? What does it look like for a congregation to forgive? In our neighborhood—the South Hills of Pittsburgh—performism and perfectionism are the soup of the day. Every day. How has this influenced our expectations of others in the church? Do we, as Christians, have the gracious margin for allowing mistakes and welcoming healing? Or are saints expected to operate in a mistake-free zone? Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss holiness, forgiveness, cancel culture, and the tyranny of perfectionism.

E11: Get Angry, Don’t Sin

Anger is a God-given emotion. And there are times and circumstances in which the most Christian thing you can do is to get angry. But when you let the emotion rise to the level of passion, it becomes a problem. The anger isn’t sinful, but it could lead to sin. Don’t let it go there. There’s a lot of sin in the world. Which means there are a lot of opportunities to get angry. Get angry, but do not sin. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss righteous anger, how anxiety can help you trust Jesus, and what it means to be sober-minded.

E12: The Church Needs Reformation

Wingtip Oxfords need shining. Dishes need washing. Suits need dry cleaning. The Temple needs cleansing. Don’t be afraid of reformation in the Church. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss division in the local church, reformation and transformation, and the need for revival.

E13: Why So Solemn? Reflections on Weekly Communion
Did Judas ruin the Lord’s Supper? Seems like it. The modern Church’s posture toward the Lord’s Supper is like a penitential whipping. We crucify ourselves for our sins as we remember His death. Heads hang low. Smiles are restrained. It’s all quite dour. But this is not how the ancient Church practiced the Lord’s Supper. For them, it was a thanksgiving meal. It was a celebration of their Lord’s life, death, and resurrection. They feasted, sang their lungs out, and they rejoiced. Join Peter, Kyle, and Pastor Nate as they reflect on weekly communion, the command to celebrate, and how to eat the body and drink the blood of Christ as we remember our Lord until He returns.   

E14: The Beat of Advent
What is the meaning of Advent? Why do some Christian traditions celebrate it and others don’t? Christians believe that the Triune God is the Creator of seasons. Winter and Spring don’t come about by accident. He controls the weather, and “Nature” obeys Him. We also believe that the Triune God is Lord of “History.” And that He has acted in time to shape its course. The liturgical calendar marks and memorializes these acts, these events. Advent is a season to celebrate Jesus’ first coming and to anticipate and wait for His second coming. We remember His Incarnation and hope for His Coming Judgment of the living and the dead. In this episode, Peter, Kyle, and Pastor Nate reflect on the season of Advent, the purpose of the liturgical calendar, and key features of Christian hope.   

E15: Do Not Be Afraid! Celebrate Christ this Christmas Season
Christians celebrate Christ. We celebrate everything that He is and everything He has done. His exaltation, ascension, resurrection, crucifixion, mediation, and even His humiliation and incarnation. There are some Christians who don’t believe we should celebrate the birth of our Lord. We should avoid holidays and only celebrate the Lord’s Day on Sundays. Others worry about the consumerism and commercialism of the season. They are afraid of getting sucked into the “secular traditions” of trees and mistletoe. Still others see Christmas as a time of morose remembrance due to the loss of a loved one. Their Christmas has become blue, as joy and cheer run dry. In this episode, Peter, Kyle, and Pastor Nate reflect on the season of Christmas, the moral imperative to celebrate Christ, and the need to practice cheerfulness!

E16: Resolve to Renew Your Vows: New Year’s Resolutions and Covenant Renewal
Christians should aspire to have their lives changed every day, not just decide to change a few things at the beginning of the year. So what do we do with the cultural practice of New Year’s Resolutions? Should Christians believe in resolutions and strive to implement them? Is there any harm in it? New Year’s Resolutions are not inherently wrong. But the changes we want to see might not be right. And our motivation might be misdirected. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss the difference between New Year’s Resolutions and Covenant Renewal  and the need to rely on grace and not willpower in seeking change.

E17: Feed the Kids? Reflections on Children Taking Communion (Part 1 of 2)
Do your children eat dinner at the table or do they sit on the floor? Would you consider them members of your family or are they guests in your house? Do you give them water to drink but not bread? Or do you feed them bread on Fridays but not Sundays? Last month, our very own Peter Chase completed his seminary degree (M.Div.)! Woo hoo! Well done, Peter! So in this episode we discuss his final paper: what he thinks about children taking the Lord’s Supper. For those wanting the CliffsNotes, Peter thinks we should be honest about how we read the Bible. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss having children take communion. 

E18: Feed the Kids? Reflections on Children Taking Communion (Part 2 of 2)
In Part One, Peter provided a brief lay of the land on the historical and theological front of child communion. In Part Two, he discusses what this means for the church and how this might be applied to our families. In short, child communion is a discernment process with the child, his or her parents, and the church. Peter proposes that the child needs to display a few features before communing. The ability to chew. They can reach out and take the bread and wine. They show signs of obedience to God, their parents, and other superiors. They articulate some form of faith. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they continue in their discussion of children taking communion.

E19: Eat Your Daily Bread: Bible Reading Plans and Being in the Word
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” Since we are united in Christ as believers, we need to be in His Word as a church. In this nuts and bolts, brass tacks episode, Pastor Nate, Peter, and Kyle discuss the importance of reading the Bible on a daily basis. Despite the hustle and bustle, we can’t forget to be still and know our God. We need to eat our daily bread and be nourished. We need to read and hear His Word. So whether you’re following the Robert Murray M’Cheyne, the ESV, or the Peter Chace Bible Reading Plan, take the time to read your Bible. It’s necessary for the life of the Church. It’s necessary for the health of your family. It’s necessary for your own growth and faith. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as they discuss eating our daily bread.  

E20: Educating for Eternity: Beverly Heights Christian Preschool and Academy Morning Matins
Most people nowadays view education like a “GetGo” gas station: “Get in. Get out. Get going.” They see education as going through the motions, getting a degree, and getting on with your life. Sadly, many Christian educators have adopted this view. Even some pastors have absorbed it: “Come to church, listen to the sermon, see you next week!” Here at Beverly Heights we see things very differently. Education isn’t a hoop to jump through; it’s not an item on a checklist. Education is eternal formation. It’s formation for the future. And it’s all about worship—a life fully lived in obedience, honor, and service to our Redeemer. He is the Designer of ABCs and 123s. The Lord of History. The Creator of Creatures. The Sustainer of Society. The content always culminates in Christ. In this episode of We Make Christians, Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate discuss Morning Matins—our daily time of worship for the Preschool and Academy students. 

E21: Off to College! Our Local Mission and College Ministry
The landscape of the mission field has changed, and continues to change. Long gone are the days of being a Christian nation and sending evangelists and missionaries “over there” to “far off countries” to “save the lost.” Our neighbors are lost. We have pagans, heathens, and witches walking our streets. Our city, our state, our nation is a mission field. This extends to our college campuses. In this episode, Peter discusses his outreach ministry at Duquesne University in partnership with the Coalition of Christian Outreach. Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as we discuss how the local church, its liturgy, and life in covenantal community buttresses and blooms local missions and outreach.   

E22: Making Music for the Master
In this episode, we host a self-proclaimed “reluctant guest”—our very own Elissa Winkler, Director of Music in Worship. Elissa chats with Pastor Nate, Peter, and I about the recent launch of The Master’s Music Academy here at Beverly Heights. She discusses the origin of the ministry, her passion for Christian education, and classes offered at the Academy. Elissa also gives listeners a peek into her love for music, past teaching of children’s choir, and her calling as an educator. She desires for everything to be done for the glory of God, including, and especially, music. Join Kyle, Peter, Pastor Nate, and Elissa as we discuss the importance of being masterful at music for the Master who deserves it all. 

“The Master’s Music Academy is a ministry of Beverly Heights Presbyterian Church. It offers high quality, distinctly Christian musical instruction of the South Hills. Our instructors provide private lessons and group class for all ages, fostering a love for music rooted in the good, true, and beautiful. Partnering with local Christian music teachers, we also host master classes, ensembles, and events year-round.”  

https://beverlyheights.org/mma/

E23: Best Served When Serving: Reflections on Women’s Ministry
Three dudes walk into an office to podcast about women’s ministry . . . What could go wrong? What is women’s ministry? In addition to Sunday morning worship and Linger Longers, do women need their own Bible studies and tea time? Could women’s ministry today be more informed by modern evangelical gobbledygook than the Bible? (Could the same be said about men’s ministry?) How does women’s ministry fit within the overall ministry of Beverly Heights Church? What could and should women’s ministry look like at Beverly Heights Church as we lean into God’s Good Future? Join Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate as we discuss the importance of women’s ministry in the life our church, while pledging and promising to do a future episode with the “gals on Staff!” 

E24: Got Thumos? Well, then, Rise Up, O Men of God!
Men—young and old alike—are hungry to bear the weight of responsibility. They desire the courage to mortify sin, resist the lures of Lucifer, and fight the enemy at the gate. Men want to be strong. Men want to build. But some need edification and others need encouragement. Some even need to hear that it’s not only okay but good to be a man. In this episode, Kyle, Peter, and Pastor Nate talk about the College of Men ministry here at Beverly Heights. They recount its humble beginnings and how it has transformed into what it is today: hearty shanties, delicious elk pizza, and real talk about occupying the center.