16. "Intersection of Faith and Culture" with Dr. A.R. Bernard

In this episode of VOICES’ Where Ya From? podcast, Dr. A.R. Bernard teaches us that there are no small churches or small impact—just small thinking. Learn how God took A.R.’s four-member, store-front church and expanded it to the Christian Culture Center and understand that we all can make positive change in our communities by being faithful to whatever plan the Lord has in store for us.

Guest Bio:

A graduate of Alliance Theological Seminary, Dr. A.R. Bernard is a visionary whose teachings have lifted his church, the Christian Cultural Center (CCC), to become New York’s largest house of worship. In addition, he has been awarded Honorary Doctor of Divinity degrees from Wagner College and from Nyack College/Alliance Theological Seminary. His wife, Karen, left her career with the Queens County Supreme Court to raise seven sons and copastor with her husband. Together, they have successfully experienced 48 years of marriage and 42 years of ministry.

Notes & Quotes:

• “Essentially, culture is man’s attempts to order his society and determine the best ways to live in it. Now contrast that to the kingdom of God, which is the reign and rule of God or the government of God or God’s way of doing and being, which [also] means a culture.”
• “God’s presence has to be present within the culture in order to affect change.”
• “What makes us different? Our Christian identity. What does that mean? Secondly, how far do we adjust to the culture without compromising our Christian convictions? How far do we blend into the culture without losing our Christian identity?”
• “There are no small churches or small projects. There’s only small thinking.”
• “We live life on levels, we arrive in stages. Begin where you are, and build upon that.”

Links Mentioned:

• Visit our website to sign up for emails: whereyafrom.org
• Leave us a review: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-ya-from-podcast/id1581145346
• Check out our Voices Collection from Our Daily Bread Ministries
• Follow Where Ya From? on Instagram: @whereyafrompodcast
• Extra resource: This Far by Faith reading plan
• A.R. Bernard’s website: https://www.arbernard.com/

Verses Mentioned:

• “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them”: Genesis 1:27 
• “On earth as it is in heaven”: Matthew 6:10
• Adam and Eve sin: Genesis 3
• Dominion mandate: Genesis 1:28
• “The least of these”: Matthew 25:40
• God in Christ reconciling the world: 2 Corinthians 5:19–20
• The Word became flesh and chose to dwell among us: John 1:14
• Sent his word and healed them: Psalm 107:20 
• Salt of the earth: Matthew 5:13

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