I found Matthew’s site recently when I was looking for a video about the Psalter; I used his video. In exploring his site, I found numerous interesting videos and liked his teachings that I sampled.
The following 18 minute video is about how the social justice movement is opposing Christian speech presently. We all see that it is changing rapidly; pastor Everhard offers an analysis of what is going on with speech limitations and direction regarding preparation and taking a stand for your faith.
[He begins discussing free speech immediately, then diverges for a couple of moments until getting back on topic.]
Video highlights:
- Free speech will be limited along a continuum that includes ‘restricted speech’ and ‘compelled speech’
- This transformation is happening presently and we are experiencing restricted speech
- Compelled speech will be upon us when we are forced to recite the narrative [and not permitted other types of speech, I’m assuming that he was implying this. As the Uiguarts who were sent to re-education camps, abused, tortured…for dissenting from the one approved narrative]
- The question you need to ask yourself: Is your Christian faith going to be sufficiently strong to survive the mockery that is coming?
- Matthew discussed a ‘professional mocker’ from Isaiah 36: Rabshakeh, opened with humor, to condescension, to intimidation, then he offered a welfare program, then blasphemies – Matthew gave scriptures for each
- The Lord Jesus Christ was mocked, scripture examples cited
- Jesus’ various responses described – ultimately, He did not change what He taught, He continued to please His Father
- The more we are mocked, the stronger will be the pressure to change
- Some professing Christians are ready to conform to SJ requirements
- The continuum of pressure: mockery–> fines–> imprisonment–> punishment–> martyrdom–> death
- Jesus said that we should not be afraid of man because he could only kill the body; God the Father could kill body and soul in hell
- To prepare: Ephesians 6, do you know the armor and to use it?
From his YouTube site: Matthew Everhard
Dr. Matthew Everhard is an ordained Presbyterian minister in the PCA, and a Jonathan Edwards scholar. He is Pastor of Gospel Fellowship PCA, North of Pittsburgh.
Video: www.youtube.com/c/GospelFellowshipPresbyterianChurch
Matthew is a writer for Modern Reformation. www.modernreformation.org
His book A Theology of Joy: Jonathan Edwards and Eternal Happiness in the Holy Trinity (Fort Worth, TX: JESociety Press, 2018) is available here: https://amzn.to/2rceqkl
He is a graduate of Malone University, (BA) Ashland Theological Seminary (MAPT), and Reformed Theo Sem. (DMIN).
Matthew is the author, editor, or contributor to a number of books including: Hold Fast the Faith: A Devotional Commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith (Great Lakes); A Collection of Essays on Jonathan Edwards (JESociety); The Jonathan Edwards Encyclopedia (Eerdmans); The Westminster Society Journal (Westminster Society) and several more.