Expositors Collective is an organization that hosts training events and provides resources to help people grow as Bible teachers and preachers of God’s Word. Recently, Expositors Collective came into formal relationship with CGN.

Teaching, according to the Bible, is a Spiritual gift, and it is also a skill which can be developed and improved. What is the relationship between the spiritual gifting of teaching, and the responsibility to steward that gift by doing your best to make sure you are rightly dividing and effectively communicating the “Word of Truth”?

As Christians, we all engage with the Bible at some level, so even if someone isn’t preaching sermons on Sunday mornings, they will likely have many opportunities to share Biblical truth and wisdom with others. For this reason, it is important for us to grow in both our private study and our public proclamation of God’s Word.

In this episode, Nick Cady speaks with Kellen Criswell and Mike Neglia about the history of Expositors Collective and what are some of the unique elements of it, as well as how Expositors Collective works with CGN in our mission to Proclaim the Gospel, Make Disciples, and Plant Churches.

Listen for a clip from Pastor Chuck Smith about sermon preparation and how it works together with the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@44.229.177.13

In Acts 20:26 Paul the Apostle tells the leaders of the Ephesian church that he innocent of their blood because, during his time in Ephesus, he taught them “the whole counsel of God’s Word.” What does it mean to teach the whole counsel of God’s word, and how can we be sure we are doing this in our churches?

One of the core values of CGN is biblical literacy. In this episode, Nick Cady speaks with Kellen Criswell to discuss what CGN is doing to promote biblical literacy and to encourage the teaching of “the whole counsel of God’s Word.”

As part of this discussion, they talk about biblical theology and Christ-centered hermeneutics, as they discuss the importance of teaching every part of the Bible in relation to the big story that all of the Bible together tells.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@44.229.177.13

Since one of the roles of CGN as a network is to provide care and coaching for those in ministry leadership, what is CGN doing to support women specifically, who are serving in ministry leadership?

In this episode Nick Cady and Kellen Criswell are joined by Brenda Leavenworth, who leads the Women’s Care and Coaching Team for CGN. They discuss some of the unique challenges that women face when it comes to serving in ministry, and what CGN is doing to provide resources and support to meet those needs.

They discuss some of the ways that women can be involved in leading in the local church within a complementarian framework, and Brenda shares some stories of ways in which this team has helped women, as well as how those listening can connect with what is being provided.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• The CGN Statement on Women in Ministry Leadership
• CGN Mission & Methods episode on Women in Ministry Leadership: What CGN Leaders Believe
• When She Leads Conference in Temecula, CA – October 21-22, 2022
• When She Leads Podcast

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@44.229.177.13

What does CGN believe about the nature, purpose, and destiny of the church, both locally and globally? What constitutes a church, and what role do churches, and “the church” as a whole, have to play in God’s mission in the world? Furthermore, what models of church government can be found in CGN churches?

In this episode, Nick Cady speaks with Kellen Criswell about CGN’s beliefs about ecclesiology. They talk about the “Moses Model” and other forms of church government, as well as questions of contextualization in different cultural settings.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@44.229.177.13

One of the phrases you might hear us use to describe who we are and what we’re about as Calvary Global Network, is the phrase: “Gospel-Centered Renewal.” For example, on our website, we describe ourselves as “a family of churches working together for gospel-centered renewal.” But what do we mean by that? What is “renewal” – and what makes “Gospel-centered renewal” unique?

In this episode, Nick Cady speaks with Kellen Criswell about the biblical basis of this phrase, what it means — and how it applies to different areas of life and ministry.

Listen for a clip from Pastor Chuck Smith, where he expresses his views on this topic as well.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@44.229.177.13

How much of an emphasis does Calvary Global Network put on eschatology: the area of theology that deals with studying the end times? What is CGN’s position on end times theology, and how does the network relate to those who do not hold that position?

In this episode, Nick Cady speaks with Brian Brodersen and Kellen Criswell about “Premillenialism,” which is one of the theological streams to which CGN belongs. We explain what premillennialism is, and why we hold this view. We also discuss the relationship between Premillenialism and “Dispensationalism” — and explain how this distinction works practically out in our network. Brian Brodersen responds to some questions about his own views on End Times theology, and listen for a clip from Pastor Chuck Smith, sharing his heart on these matters.

New episodes are being released every two weeks, so make sure you subscribe to the podcast! Episodes will be delivered to your device as soon as they come out.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@44.229.177.13

The recent years have presented new challenges for pastors and leaders, and many studies are showing that discouragement is at an all time high. Even apart the unique events of the past few years, pastoring and leading can be difficult.

What is CGN doing as a network to provide care and coaching for pastors and leaders?

In this episode, Brian Brodersen, Kellen Criswell, and Nick Cady are joined by Rob Salvato, who leads the Leadership Care and Coaching Team for CGN. In our discussion, Rob shares about the ways their team is developing systems and providing resources to help pastors and leaders in practical ways, including providing resources to help them lead, and providing a lifeline for those who are struggling.

Together we share about some of the struggles we’ve faced as leaders, and how relationships within our network helped us in those times; as well as how we would like to make that experience available to anyone who needs it.

Check out the Leadership Collective Podcast here.

The Calvary Chapel / CGN International Conference is coming up soon — it will be from June 26-29 in Costa Mesa, California. For more information and registration, visit conference.calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com

New episodes are being released every 2 weeks, so make sure you subscribe to the podcast, so those episodes will be delivered to your device as soon as they come out.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at CGN@calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com

What is the role of mission and outreach in the life of a church, or in the life of a disciple of Jesus? Is engagement in missions an optional activity, or is it an integral part of what it means to be a Christian? Where exactly is the “mission field”?

In this episode, I speak with Kellen Criswell and Mike Neglia about the history of missions and missional engagement in Calvary Chapel, and why this is a core value of CGN as a network.

We talk about how Calvary Chapel has been privileged to be part of two great revivals: one in the United States in the 1960’s & 70’s, and another in Europe in the 1990’s. I share some of the history of Calvary Chapel’s mission work in Central & Eastern Europe, and Kellen shares some practical steps for how to live with a missional mindset no matter where you are in the world.

The Calvary Chapel / CGN International Conference is June 26-29, 2022 in Costa Mesa, California. For more information and registration, visit conference.calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com

New episodes are being released every two weeks. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast, so each episode will be delivered to your device as soon as they come out.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at cgn@calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com

Seminary is Not For Everyone

I have known many good pastors who did not go to seminary. My pastor, Tom Stipe, used to tell me that one of the geniuses of Chuck Smith and the Calvary Chapel movement was that Chuck was willing to take chances on and empower people who, like the apostles, were “unschooled, ordinary men” who “had been with Jesus” (see Acts 4:13). I experienced this myself: I was trained, ordained, and sent out to plant a church within the Calvary Chapel ecosystem without any formal education. I am so thankful that the leaders in my life encouraged me and affirmed my calling rather than telling me to curb my enthusiasm and go to school first.

However, since that time, I did choose to go to school. I now hold a BA in Theology from the University of Gloucestershire (UK) and an MA in Integrative Theology from the London School of Theology.

Over the past few years, Calvary Global Network has developed a partnership with Western Seminary, and many Calvary leaders have enrolled in institutes of higher education. For some, this may feel like a change in culture, and the question may arise as to whether this is a move away from dependence on the Holy Spirit.

While I have benefited from going to seminary, I do not believe it is for everyone. In addition, I believe it is imperative that Calvary Chapel continues to believe in the work of the Holy Spirit through called people, regardless of their level of, or lack of, formal education.

Here is why I chose to go to seminary and what I would say to those who ask if education makes you less dependent on the Holy Spirit.

My Crisis of Faith

I am not sure exactly how it started, but at some point, I began to struggle — then it reached a point that felt like a crisis.

I was living in Hungary at the time. Rosemary and I had just had our first child; he was about six months old at the time. I was pastoring a church, and things were going well. People were coming and growing in their faith. Others were coming to faith for the first time and being baptized.

I was teaching the Bible twice a week, on Sundays and Wednesdays, yet I found myself struggling with feelings of doubt. I began to question whether the things I was saying about the Bible were actually true! I began having doubts about whether God even exists!

Up until that point, I had never struggled to believe, yet all of a sudden my mind was plagued with doubts. The things I was teaching, was I just parroting what I had heard from other people? Was I just taking their word for it, that the things they said about God and the Bible were true? I had not actually researched and studied those things for myself… What if they were wrong?

My Journey to Formal Education

This crisis of faith led me on a journey, which involved enrolling in university, and studying Christianity, the Bible, and other religions, at the university level. And as a result of that journey, having studied these things for myself, I am at a place today where I am more confident than ever that the Bible is trustworthy and the gospel message of Jesus Christ is true.

What the Bible has to Say about Pursuing Education

Here is what Paul said to Timothy, a young pastor:

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

Here is what Peter wrote in his “general epistle” (to all Christians):

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence …

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:3; 5-8).

“Why Can’t You Just Be Self-Taught?”

I have heard people push back against formal education and insist that you can get just as good of an education on your own by reading books. My response is that you probably can — but there are some big benefits to studying at an institute of higher education.

One of the greatest benefits is that you will be forced to read things you disagree with, and you will be required to critically engage with the material and with smart people who hold positions other than your own. This will make you sharper and force you to examine the foundations of what you believe. If you navigate this well, it will lead to a stronger faith.

Furthermore, if you are like me, the rigor and deadlines of a school program will help you actually do your work, and think hard, since you know your work will be examined and critiqued by people who will not let you get away with sloppy or lazy conclusions.

Does Education Make You Less Dependent on the Holy Spirit?

Having spent years in seminary, let me tell you that I have never met anyone who thinks that they no longer need the Holy Spirit now that they have learned more things. In fact, if anything, gaining education affects a person by making them more aware of how much they do not know.

The Dunning-Kruger Effect is the phenomenon that those who are less competent tend to be more self-confident because they do not realize how much they do not know. In contrast, those who are more competent tend to be more aware of just how much they do not know.

This is not always the case, I am sure. Some people probably become proud because they think they know more than others once they have received some amount of education.

“Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies” (1 Corinthians 8:1)

I absolutely agree! However, I have also met people who are proud of their lack of education and look down on those who have pursued formal theological education, as if their choice to not go to seminary is more spiritual.

The key is to keep love (for God and for others, in response to God’s love for us) as the motivating factor, rather than pursuing knowledge just for the sake of knowledge. And we should certainly never seek knowledge in an attempt to assert superiority over others, but instead view it as something to be used to help and serve others.

Discussion on the CGN Mission & Methods Podcast

In the most recent episode of the CGN Mission & Methods Podcast, we discussed the power, presence, and work of the Holy Spirit, and this topic came up. Here is a clip of our discussion:

You can listen to the entire episode here (or in the embedded player below): What Do CGN Leaders Believe about Charismatic Gifts and Their Use in the Church Today?

May the Calvary family continue to be a place where we prioritize dependence on the empowering and leading of the Holy Spirit, along with diligent study of God’s Word.

Whether you pursue formal education or are self-taught, may the Lord keep us all from becoming puffed up or condescending toward others, and may Calvary be a network in which we sharpen and encourage each other as we work together to build God’s Kingdom and carry out His mission.

^{CalvaryChapel.com does not necessarily endorse or agree with every message or perspective in the diverse links posted. By providing these links, we hope to help you stay informed of important events and conversations taking place in the world that are relevant to the Christian faith.}

What is CGN doing to help churches in practical ways, including finances, pastoral coaching, and other resources?

In this episode, I speak with Kellen Criswell and Jeff Gipe about the Funding and Development initiatives within CGN, and they share stories of how collaborative funds have already been used to help churches during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to fund new church plants.

Jeff and Kellen share about opportunities we have as a network to do more together than we can separately.

This episode was recorded in January 2022, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing humanitarian crisis. At the end of this episode, listen for an update on how CGN has been able to support ministries and individuals on the ground in Ukraine and the surrounding region, through the Ukraine Relief Fund. We also give an update on the development of CGN as an independent entity.

New episodes are being released every two weeks. Make sure you subscribe to the podcast, so each episode will be delivered to your device as soon as they come out.

We’d love to hear feedback from you on these episodes. You can email us at cgn@calvarychapel.flywheelsites.com