Trinity Talk Live - Season 2 (2018)

In May, 2018, Jesse Duplantis went on his television show and asked his followers to help him raise money for a $54 million private jet, claiming if Jesus were walking the Earth today, He wouldn't be riding on a donkey. Duplantis is but one of many preachers today, including Joel Osteen and others, who preach a message referred to as "Word of Faith," "Health and Wealth," or the "Prosperity Gospel." Pastor Jay Jackson, Pastoral Assistant Ben Lander and host/apologist Ken Coughlan talk about that "gospel" along with other similar messages being spread and compare them ...

Christianity's influence on the culture of the United States of America is waning. But many people claim it is at root a "Christian nation." Several Christians chimed in with their answers to the question, "Is America a Christian Nation?"

Jesus said "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." What are you doing to share the love of Christ? This starts a three week series titled "Matthew 25: Showing Love to Those in Need." Each week highlights a different charity that is helping to meet this commission from Jesus, starting with Found in Faith Ministries in Joppa, Maryland, which provides furniture and housewares to people who cannot afford them.

For week two in a three week series titled "Matthew 25: Showing Love to Those in Need," the show went on the road to visit the Welcome One Emergency Shelter in Belcamp, Maryland. They provide more than just a roof over someone's head. They provide hope.

In Matthew 25:35, Jesus praises those of whom He says, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink." Ken Coughlan and Theresa Jenkins (coordinator of the Trinity Food Closet) talk about how the church is seeking to fulfill this calling and how you can help.

The Museum of the Bible granted Trinity Talk Live permission to bring a camera inside to give a bit of a preview of this attraction dedicated to the history and impact of the Holy Scriptures.

Sometimes we could use reminding that the scriptures were not originally written in English. While God's word can shine through the translations, there are nuances of meaning that come through only when we look at them in their original languages. Special guests Keith and Lori Trump join Ken and offer their insights while Keith gives a few examples of the beauty of the Bible in its original Greek and Hebrew.

There is no strict, agreed upon definition of a "mass shooting." One study prepared for the United States Congress by the Congressional Research Service defined it as an incident in which at least four people are killed. Unfortunately, these tragic events seem to be happening more often. Pastor Jay Jackson, Pastor Chuck Lashley and host Ken Coughlan sit down and have an open, frank discussion about these and other tragedies. Where is God when they occur? How should we, as Christians, respond? How do we cope if we are affected by such an event? What do we think of the ...

If children are the future of our churches, then why do we so often exclude them from worship? We expect them to know what worship is all about, but we don't train them. We take them out of the service and give them coloring books, maybe a quick Bible lesson. But they never learn what the worship service itself is all about. Inspired by the book "Parenting in the Pew" by Robbie Castleman, Pastor Jay Jackson and Ben Lander give advice to parents to help you create an environment of worship in your home that will translate to a lifestyle of worship each weekend and ...

Paul told the church in Colossae, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." This instruction applies equally to Christians today, including our activities in the workplace. Rick Grant and Mark Cogar talk about how their Christian faith influences the way they conduct their professional lives and how to navigate difficult circumstances when they arise.

In the Great Commission, Jesus tells us to bring the gospel to the world. But how do we go about doing this? Members of Trinity's evangelism team discuss what evangelism means (contrasting it with how modern culture has come to define the term) and suggest some ways to implement an evangelism ministry at your church.

One of the biggest fears among the American people is public speaking. For some people, it may seem like an even bigger fear is talking to people about your Christian faith. This is doubly true when it comes to speaking to our family and friends, the people we car the most about, but also care most what they think about us. Ben Lander and Ken Coughlan give advice on how to overcome those fears and share the gospel with the world.

If someone were to observe you discussing your political opinions today, what would they leave thinking holds the higher priority for you, Jesus Christ or your political party? The panel includes three Christians, one Republican, one Democrat, and one Independent. The three of them sit down and talk about how they view the relationship between their Christian faith and their political decisions.

What does the term "discipleship" mean? What types of things can your church do to encourage discipleship. Two members of Trinity's Discipleship team talk about these questions and tell you a bit about what we do at Trinity to support this discipline.

"Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it." Proverbs 22:6 Roberta Fleming, the new Head of School for Trinity Lutheran Christian School and Early Learning Center, talks about her background, her life, and her educational philosophy.

Support Ministries are one important way to show the love of Christ to others. The panel talks about two support ministries, Stephen Ministry and the new HEART ministry.

Churches are among the targets being selected by active shooters. How do Christians continue to have open arms to all who seek Jesus while also protecting those who come to worship? Sgt. Robert Burgess of the Harford County Sheriff's Office and Mark Cogar, Operations Director at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church talk about how to strike that balance, and what steps every church should be taking today to prepare in case such a tragic event happens at their congregation.

Pastoral Assistant Ben Lander and Ken Coughlan try to fairly present both perspectives in this common internal debate within Christendom, then offer a few insights of their own.

Many in the Christian church have a tendency to think of stewardship in terms of raw numbers or percentages. But Pastor Jay Jackson encourages us to view it more holistically and view stewardship through the lens of sacrifice.

The panel discusses a practical approach and talks about ways to live out Biblical stewardship.

Pastor Jay Jackson and Ken Coughlan talk about what discipleship looks like in the 21st century, in the era of social media and a culture driven by power.

What role does music play, not just in our worship services but even outside of them? If people come to church, do they see the music as entertainment or as part of the worship experience that they participate in? Ryan McAllister, Director of Music Ministry, and Phil Noske, Assistant Director for Contemporary Music, sit down and talk through these questions.

Ryan McAllister and Phil Noske celebrate music in worship by highlighting a variety of forms worship music can take, including traditional choir, bells, orchestra, children's, contemporary and more.

Members from Trinity's music ministry come on the show and share some of their favorite Christmas carols and songs.

The panel discusses what you can do to set smart goals and improve your physical, emotional and spiritual health.

Lori Hinman, women's ministry leader at Trinity, joins Mary Kay Coughlan to discuss what Trinity does for women and the importance of women's ministry overall.

Trinity Talk Live welcomes special guest, Robert Battista, Christian missionary to Pakistan, to share what he has seen about the persecution of Christians overseas.

Many people think of love as purely a feeling, but the panel discusses how it means so much more. Also, they talk about some of the consequences of thinking of love as just a feeling and define a biblical understanding of the word.

A spiritually healthy body of Christ is one that not only learns together, but one that lives in fellowship with each other. How do we foster fellowship in today's churches? Members of Trinity's fellowship team discuss what fellowship is and explore how churches can help promote it in the congregation.

Too many people today have an idealized view of what marriage will be like. It won't all be hearts and candies and a full orchestra playing background music in your head. People grow and change. So how do married couples stay committed to each other and grow together rather than apart? Three different couples with varying backgrounds shed some light on that question.

Randy Gast, Head of School for Trinity Lutheran Christian School and Early Learning Center, talks about himself, how he formulates a vision, and the advantages of Christian education.

All churches are called to perform ministry, but what is the unique need and call for men's ministry? What are some of the ways to begin and foster a men's ministry in the church? This week's panel focuses on these questions and gives insights from their experiences.

There is a variety of opinions within the Christian church about the celebration of Easter. Ben Lander and Ken Coughlan discuss the conclusions they've come to on three related issues: (1) Should we even have a special day to celebrate Christ's resurrection in the first place? (2) Should we avoid using the name "Easter?" (3) Should we refrain from including things like the Easter Bunny, eggs and baskets in our festivities?

Have you ever wondered why some Christians do certain things during Lent? What is the purpose of the ashes on Ash Wednesday? Why do people give things up? If there are 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter, why do we say there are 40 days in Lent? Greg Derwart and Pastor Jay Jackson join the show to discuss the answers to these and other questions.

Lay Ministry includes all the people who work "behind the scenes" or who are often taken for granted. They are the "unsung" heroes of bringing the worship services together each week. So Trinity Talk Live lifts them up and highlights all that they do.

This time of year people often flock to Jesus' teaching on taxes, his well known statement to "render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's." But what did he mean by this?

Cast members of Trinity's annual Passion Play join the show to share some of their thoughts about the impact Jesus' sacrifice has had upon their lives.

Jennifer Merkel of New Leaf Organizing Services gives advice on how to bring some order to your home and your life, along with highlighting a few of the things that tend to get in the way.

People often take Scripture out of context, picking a verse here or a passage there, but failing to take into account the various factors that weigh into uncovering the author's original meaning. Ben Lander and Ken Coughlan talk about one contextual factor: the literary genre of a biblical text, and discuss how misunderstanding the importance of genre can lead to an incorrect interpretation of God's word.

Trinity Talk Live wishes a Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in our lives.

Stewardship involves more than managing the finances. Churches are also entrusted with God's property, including the church facility itself. This ministry of care taking is one that people only seem to notice when something goes wrong, but Trinity Talk Live discusses some of the ways to build a strong property ministry and some of the challenges it often faces.

What are the most important things to keep in mind when planning an effective children's ministry? Members of the Children's Ministry team at Trinity Church discuss the various aspects of the programs they have offered and how best to connect children to the gospel. There's a lot more we can do than just Sunday School.

Should Christians allow the flags of their country in their sanctuaries? Should we honor mothers on Mother's Day and fathers on Father's Day? What about veterans on Veteran's Day? There is a split within Christian churches as to whether acknowledging this type of observance inside the sanctuary is an appropriate expression or is an unwise intermingling of the secular with the sacred. Pastor Jay Jackson and Ken Coughlan talk about the different perspectives and where they land on the issue.

How do we reach our youth with the love and gospel of Jesus Christ? The panel talks about why youth ministry is important and what has meant the most to them about it.

What does it mean to be "politically correct?" Is it something positive? Something negative? But most importantly, how do we as Christians honor Christ's truth with gentleness and respect in modern Western culture?

What does a specifically "Christian" education look like for the youngest of our children? At that age, is there any difference between Christian and secular care? The answer is a resounding "yes." Staff of Trinity's Early Learning Center describe the profound difference Jesus can make, even for toddlers, and what a Christian education looks like for that age group.

Jesus commanded us to bring the gospel to the corners of the Earth, which means we need to go beyond the borders of the United States. But when going into some communities in need, in a very real sense you have to earn the right to share the gospel. Members of Trinity's international mission team talk about their experiences over the past several years in El Jute, Guatemala, the changes they have seen in this small village, and what you can do to help out going forward.