Rick and Svea spend much of the episode discussing Paul's warning to the church leaders in Ephesus as found in Acts 20:17-38: watch out for the wolves among you.
A warning from Rick about this episode: It may contain meandering conversation with points of lucidity in a forest of discontinuity and convoluted word salads, but it has been fun.
Topics discussed in this episode:
- 00:00 Intro
- 03:21 Serving is leading and leadership.
- 06:35 The genius of Scripture: the same passage allowed Rick to pivot the emphasis in response to immediate needs without bending it to fit the new topic. This message's focus: Be on guard - have the back of those whom you lead.
- 10:57 Wolves prowling around as a threat to the flock: Paul's admonition then and still true today.
- 12:02 Three ways to spot a wolf: 1) they try to raise your level of fear; 2) they try to lower your level of empathy; and 3) they try to distract you from being an ambassador for Jesus and his kingdom.
- 12:21 Looking at each wolf tactic: Watch out for those using fear as a manipulator.
- 17:07 Watch out for those downplaying empathy or even calling it a sin.
- 25:33 Watch out for those trying to distract us from the primacy of Jesus.
- 29:14 How do you overcome the wolves? In every arena of your life, live as though Jesus were living your life: be with Jesus, become more like Jesus, and do as Jesus did. Who we are becoming is more important than what we do.
- 31:52 The big difference between a true representative of Jesus and a wolf: A true representative will say follow me as I follow Jesus. A wolf will try to get you to join their endeavor and impose aspects of Christianity on others so they can get more control.
- 34:31 The way of Jesus is always going to be different than any expression of the world's way.
- 35:17 Playing the movie forward.
