Matt and Jon couldn't meet for a normal episode this week, so here's a pitch for our pastoral training program, The Cranmer Fellowship.

If you or someone you know might be interested in learning more about the Fellowship, please contact us at cranmerfellowship@gmail.com.

Here is Matt’s sermon from Candlemas (2/2/2025).

In this episode Matt and Jonathan talk about the relationship between justification by faith and progressive sanctification. We also discuss all those times in the Bible that so-and-so is considered blameless before God because they keep the commandments. Is it possible to be righteous in God's sight by your works? How can sinners, even really obedient ones, be called blameless in God's sight?

In this episode Matt and Jonathan talk about what it means for a pastor to be compassionate. This is a bit touchy, because compassion, like empathy, is very loaded term. There is, like empathy, a wrong kind of "compassion." It's important for pastors especially to know the difference between biblical compassion and the counterfeit compassion the world is currently demanding the church live by. It's also important that pastors not let people's feelings inform their every decision in the church. That being said, a pastor isn't to be domineering over the flock. There's a lot to talk about. We hope it's helpful for you.

We're a week behind, but here's Matt's sermon from Ash Wednesday. We hope it serves as an encouragement to you as you go through Lent.

In today's episode, Matt and Jonathan discuss teaching Bible studies. What's different about prepping a Bible study from prepping a sermon? How do we typically approach leading a Bible study at Good Shepherd and why? How do you deal with troublesome ideas (or people) that come up while you're teaching? And why are Bible studies a great time to exercise pastoral care for parishioners?

In this episode Matt and Jonathan talk about what true repentance looks like. Can you be repentant and yet still have a besetting sin? What does it mean to "sincerely repent?" If you're sinning a lot, then should you come to the Lord's Table or skip that week? And how can a pastor counsel those in his parish who just can't kick some sinful habit?

This week we're bringing you one of Matt's sermons from Advent 2024. The text is on Luke 3:7-20.

In this episode, Matt and Jonathan discuss that little pastoral qualification that runs around your house, is way too loud, eats all your food, and can sometimes be hard to manage. You guessed it - this episode is for the children.

What does God mean when He says a pastor's children need to be "submissive" and "believers"? What about pastors whose kids leave the house and deconstruct their faith? Why is all this a qualification for pastors anyway?

In this episode, Matt and Jonathan talk about the danger of treating the Bible like it's only a textbook. While learning the ins and outs of good Bible study is important, it's possible to let Bible study tactics actually keep one from submitting to God's word. It's easy to dissect Scripture. It's a lot harder to allow the Scripture to dissect us. But that's what it's meant to do.

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart," Hebrews 4:12.

We start this episode off with an exciting announcement about Matt. Then we talk about books. What are some of our go-to books for pastors to read? Whether it be history, theology, philosophy, fantasy, biography - you name it - reading good books is important to pastoral ministry. We talk about why...

In Christ,

The Cranmer Fellows

In this episode Matt and Jonathan talk about the relationship between the Bible and the Church Fathers.

The Roman Catholic Church teaches that tradition is as authoritative as the Scriptures. On the other side of the pendulum there are those who say Scripture is the only authority - there's no reason to read the Fathers. But what exactly did the Reformers mean by "sola Scriptura?" And where do we think the Fathers stand in relation to Scripture interpretation?

In this episode Matt and Jonathan talk about last Sunday's service. We observed All Saints Day with our bishop who confirmed 16 people and consecrated Church of the Good Shepherd. It's been around 15 years since the Episcopal Church kicked Good Shepherd out of its building. Now Good Shepherd has paid off the mortgage for our current building. Matt and Jonathan discuss how all of this stuff combined into one Sunday made for such a meaningful service. We also talk about how simply preaching the word of God has been Good Shepherd's strategy all these years. Thanks be to God for all that He's done!

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Matt and Jon are at their diocesan clergy conference this week, so here's a sermon by Matt from a few weeks ago. The text is Acts 21:27-22:1.

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In this episode Matt and Jon discuss the recent moral failing of Dr. Steven Lawson. Lawson has done a tremendous amount of good work for the church, but all men are sinners. Matt and Jon talk about what happened with Lawson, why he can’t be restored to the pastoral office, and some safeguards that are helpful for pastors to avoid falling into sexual sin.

Matt and Jon respect Lawson for his work in the kingdom of God and we pray for his repentance and restoration in his marriage and other relationships.

This is a Difficult Passage Episode. Today Matt and Jon sit down to discuss a bizarre passage in Judges 11. Jephthah, a judge in Israel, makes a tragic vow to God. If God gives him victory over his enemies he'll offer the first thing that comes out of his home to greet him as a burnt offering. What was he thinking? Well, either way - his daughter comes out to greet him once he gets back...

Matt and Jon talk about the two primary views of this passage, share what they think, and discuss how one might preach Judges 11.

Hope you enjoy!

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This week we continue talking about end times. We're diving more into postmillennialism, some different ways of approaching Revelation as an entire book, and some tips on teaching the darn thing.

Enjoy!

The Cranmer Fellows

We're back! And we're talking about the end of all things!

In today's episode, we talk about the book of Revelation - how we interpreted it in the past and what's changed in our thinking. And we discuss a little bit of what we think about the Millennium.

It's really good to be back recording! We hope you enjoy this episode.

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This is the second part to the conversation Jonathan and Scott had about training as preachers. We primarily talk about manuscript writing and delivery.

In Christ,

The Cranmer Fellows

In this episode Jonathan is joined by Scott Pineau. Scott is one of the wardens at Church of the Good Shepherd and assists Matt and Jonathan in preaching.

Scott and Jonathan talk about what it's like to be preachers in training. They discuss things they assumed about preaching that they no longer believe, what it's like having someone else edit and review their sermons, and how they prepare to preach.

This is the first half of the conversation. The second half will come out next week.

In Christ,

The Cranmer Fellows