Episode 18: I am a temple
What is the guy's opinion on the Super Bowl? What's the story with Eric's "God Joy" book sandal? What's the inspiration for the impactful worship service moment last week? Why is it important to come forward for prayer during a service?
In this week's episode of the Calvary Life Podcast, Pastors Eric and Matt will go over all those questions and more. Don't forget to email your questions to
TIMESTAMPS:
Super Bowl (3:47), Sunday Service Recap (15:46), God Joy Sandal? (25:53), Powerful worship moment (29:53), Significance of receiving prayer during worship? (47:29)
If you'd like to keep up to date with this season of the Calvary Life Podcast, be sure to subscribe to us on your podcast player of choice. To listen to our archive of episodes, check out our website at calvarylife.org/podcast.
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Podcast Transcription
Introduction
From Calvary Church of Santa Ana, this is the Calvary Life Podcast. The show where we share stories, laugh together, and have discussions about faith, life, and God with people from Calvary Church. Here are your hosts, Eric and Matt.
Eric
Welcome to the Calvary Life Podcast. This is Eric Wakeling here with Matt Doan, and we are excited for another week of the pod.
Matt
Yes, yes. Thanks for listening. We are always honored by our one to 12 people who check in with us.
Eric
Yeah. Although I think we need to start with some apologies.
Matt
Yeah. Let's do corrections, retractions, and apologies.
Eric
Yes. Oof. Okay. So a couple of weeks ago, it wasn't just last week, it was two episodes ago, we sort of, I think in our minds, half jokingly, we're like, hey, let's meet up at the flagpole.
Matt
This is going to be a shocker, Eric, to those that are listening, but we didn't prepare to say this. We didn't plan to say this, but we kind of came up with an incentive for our listeners.
Eric
Yes. To meet us at the flagpole. I don't even remember what we said. We'd bring them like a pastry or something, like a donuts, and we would just talk with them. And we basically completely forgot and didn't show up. Now-
Matt
Well, I remembered, but I was tied up.
Eric
Wait, so you remembered, but intentionally didn't go.
Matt
That sounds worse, doesn't it?
Eric
Yeah. That sounds much worse.
Matt
If you would have asked me an hour after the podcast that day, I would have already forgotten.
Eric
I forgot until today in a meeting, Michael Wells says to us, people were upset at the flagpole.
Matt
Yeah. Shout out to Don Baylor. We heard, Don, you were waiting faithfully. We're sorry. It's on us.
Eric
Michael, and Michael himself is a listener, and he went-
Matt
Shout out to Michael Wells. We apologize.
Eric
Actually, so we always talk about how we never get emails, we actually got a couple emails from people that weren't there, so we apologize to Keeley and sort of to Cameron, even though Cameron wasn't there, but he said he wanted to be there and wondered if we could do a virtual meetup sometime.
Matt
We got an email of somebody, RSVPing they couldn't make it. But unfortunately, we didn't see that till after. That would have been helpful if we had gotten that before.
Eric
No, they sent it on the day of. It was February 12th that they sent the email.
Matt
So Keeley, we apologize. Sorry for letting you down.
Eric
Yeah, we're very sorry. So this is that moment where we just fall on our sword here, and we apologize. But we're also, part of me is a little excited. That means people actually were listening, but they just don't normally like to interact with us, but they were excited for a meetup. So we're going to think about this a little bit more. We're going to tease this out. We're going to plan some sort of, we're thinking about maybe we could do a live podcast recording.
Matt
With a live studio audience?
Eric
A live podcast episode and see if we can get maybe-
Matt
In between services or what?
Eric
If we can get those two to three people to show up, that'd be great. That's the applause. Yeah,
man, that's funny.
Matt
No, but ... I, man, best intentions. We thought it was a fun idea. Just neither one of us put it on our calendar.
Eric
Correct. And to be fair, I was seriously actually talking and praying with people and then rushing to a life group. Those were the things I was doing. But yeah, I wasn't.
Matt
Are you at stage of life where if you don't put it on your phone, it just goes out?
Eric
It doesn't exist. It's gone. I have to put it on my phone.
Matt
I know. I feel sad that I'm in that lifestyle right now too, but it's just the truth.
Eric
Yeah, and I think we were brainstorming this and saying it while doing the episode and we're kind of like not really on our phones and stuff like that while we're doing this. And then we just like walked out.
Matt
Well, normally I'm on my phone when you start talking about soccer or Formula One.
Eric
Yeah, he starts checking his Instagram.
Matt
It's my time to check off a few text messages.
Eric
[laughing] Oh, should we talk about soccer? I guess it's a good time to talk about actually American football because it was the Super Bowl this weekend.
Matt
Yeah. You know what I had ... I saw on social media. Someone said, you know, you go to a good church if they didn't even mention football today.
Eric
I guess we are a good church.
Matt
And I realized we I don't think we said a word about the Super Bowl.
Eric
Oh. No. No. No. I did because I said ...
Matt
In the benny [benediction] maybe?
Eric
There was like, it wasn't like, go to the Super Bowl. I didn't say like, go Eagles or go Chiefs or anything like that. But I said something about when you go to your Super Bowl parties, you're representing Christ.
Matt
Oh, yeah, yeah. You did say that. Yeah, that's right.
Eric
Like, you know, something like that. Trying to guilt trip people into. Just kidding. [laughing]
Matt
I am sort of relatively proud of ourselves for not talking too much about it.
Eric
Yeah, it's probably just because the Rams weren't in it, the 49ers weren't in it, and Matthew Slater wasn't in it.
Matt
[laughing] If there was someone we were interested in. Were you rooting for anybody yesterday?
Eric
I sort of rooted for the Eagles because of one of our staff mates, fellow pastors here, Robert Carter's big Eagles fan. And so I was just kind of rooting alongside him just to be friendly. But I didn't really care.
Matt
And he invited himself to your house to watch Super Bowl, right?
Eric
Yeah, he did. He invited himself and a few friends to my house. So I sort of had a Super Bowl party, but not really, because it was just like Robert inviting a few people. It wasn't even that many people. I mean, maybe he invited hundreds of people, but only a few people really wanted to be with him. Just kidding [laughing]
No, but yeah, no, it was just a little bit. So I was like sitting next to an Eagles fan. When that bad call came at the end of the game, it was a little rough for him. Yeah ...
Matt
I don't know. Penalty is a penalty no matter when it happens.
Eric
Yeah, I think those little jersey pulls happen all game and then they didn't call it all game and they call it in the last two minutes.
Matt
Well, OK, let's get real technical for a minute. So fourth quarter of an NFL football game and a Super Bowl, you're so tired. So I bet those little like you even you're just your legs are just done. So you just kind of in your tiredness reach for a guy and grab onto him to slow him down because your legs aren't moving as fast.
Eric
Yeah. And all the replays, they didn't show the beginning of the play where he pulled on the jersey. All the replays showed it like just a second after that. So especially in the moment, you were just like irate with. Why did they call that? And just because it for me as just the viewer it just ruined the good ending to the game.
Matt
Yeah, it would have been exciting if they ... so if you didn't watch it fourth quarter, Chiefs tie game 35-35. They have the ball. They get a penalty and they kick a field goal to win. Spoiler alert.
Eric
Yeah, you're going to watch it recorded the Super Bowl. I don't I think I don't think that's a thing.
Matt
But what would have been cool. If the Chiefs wouldn't have got that, they kicked the field. There's like a minute left. The Eagles could have tried to come down. That would have been exciting.
Eric
Yeah, exactly. Exactly. So because they were like the Chiefs were even just like running and like run and just taking a knee and letting the clock run down. Not ... I was thinking about what would happen in that situation if they miss the field goal. Because now it's like now they say, oh, Andy Reid the coach, genius that he did this. But if they miss that, they would have just been ... "Why is he so dumb? He could have just scored. Always get points on the board".
Matt
Totally.
Yeah. But it was an exciting game. I woke up this morning like 5 a.m. Not intentionally, but like feeling some heartburn from all the Doritos I ate.
Eric
I do eat ... That is like the day of the year that chips are the thing I eat most of. And I did not feel good on my run this morning. Just from pure chips are like floating in my bloodstream. So just a little specks of sour cream and onion.
Matt
What's your what's your go to chip?
Eric
Ultimate favorite chips are probably Doritos, Cool Ranch and nacho cheese.
Matt
Either one?
Eric
Either one. I also enjoy a sour cream and onion chip. I also enjoy Sun chips. Of all sorts.
Matt
Yes. Me too.
Eric
I enjoy lots of chips. I like just like a ruffles-y kind of like a crinkly chip from anywhere with a sour cream with a good dip, with a good dip. Yeah. That's probably like my favorite, honestly.
Matt
You know what my? When I'm feeling really low sometimes I'll go I'll go through a 7-Eleven and grab a Pringles.
Eric
Oh Pringles! Yes.
Matt
The little cans.
Eric
The little short can or a tall can? There was a Pringles ad where they get stuck on the hands.
Matt
I know that was funny.
Eric
That was kind of funny. That was good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Also, the best tortilla chip, my favorite tortilla chip is from a Mexican restaurant called Los Galindrinos. It's a South County fast food, not fast food, but a South County counter order staple. But they also sell them at Pacific Ranch Market here, which is kind of interesting. Yeah, up Newport.
Matt
Oh. Up on Newport. No, that's not the best chip. The best tortilla chip is sold at Superior right down the street from Calvary. Like a buck ninety nine, huge bag, perfect amount of salt to ... ratio.
Eric
I'll have to try this. I think I straight disagree in principle, but we'll see. I also like these ones called Tacu Peto. They're from Sprouts. I've seen them other places. They're pretty good. It's a weird word. It's like a hard to say word for me.
Matt
You ever had a gluten free chip by accident? Like you're all excited. You're like, wait, what?
Eric
I know. I know. I was being super mean. We have a ... So everyone knows we had a little like just a day, like a meal with our pastoral staff and one of our pastoral staff, Christian is gluten free.
Matt
High school pastor, Christian Hemerling.
Eric
And so I do like to give him a hard time about this. And sometimes I'll just make comments of like, you know, I don't know how would he have survived like 50 years ago or whatever. But it's insensitive and I apologize for that as well. So I'll take that back to corrections and retractions.
Matt
Okay. Yeah, this is, oh yeah, we started off with apologies here.
Eric
So apologies to Christian. That's why I bring it up and all gluten free people.
Matt
Just blanket apologies. We're so sorry for your life. I mean, no, we still sorry for making fun of you. But no, for any of you that did go to the flagpole yesterday, failure on our part. We want you to be able to trust us. The things that we say on this podcast, we believe, we want to live out and we didn't. We fell short of our standards.
Eric
Yeah, agreed. All right. Well, that was kind of a depressing first 10 minutes of the pod. So let's go ahead and, or slash boring for the non-sporty, sporty spices. But let's talk about church yesterday a little bit and kind of the themes and, and some of the things we're talking about and doing. Yeah. So it was that whole day where we have New Life church with us, which is a church plant of Calvary, which is like actually still very connected to Calvary. Matt Hemphill, the pastor of New Life preached. Matt has an office here, by the way, like in our offices here at our church.
Matt
Right. Just right down the row here from our podcast studio. Huge ... such respect for him. He had a ... Erin had a baby three weeks ago.
Eric
I know.
Matt
And here he is just preaching and going for it.
Eric
And I even said to him a couple months ago, so like she would have already been pregnant. Right. So I said to him a couple months ago, like, "Hey, uh, normally like we've, we've had this tradition the last few years where you would preach on Super Bowl Sunday. And would you still like to, or do you want to like to have you guys come and I preach?" Or just something like that. And he's like, "no, I want to do it." So he was in. I don't know if he knew ... I guess he would have known. He would have known ... [laughing]
Matt
Third kid. Yeah.
Eric
Third kid. Yeah. You're fine. [laughing]
You've got four kids. So fourth kid does like, did you guys just kind of like, like, was that like an outpatient kind of situation?
Matt
No, we had with our fourth child, if you know anything about deliveries. So our first three were pretty quick. Marie's water broke at home and she started feeling the need to push. So we literally jumped in the car and I flew down the 91 freeway and she's in the car saying, "I think I have to push." And I'm just freaking out. So we called Kaiser, our hospital and said, we're coming. My wife's feeling the need to push. Can you meet us out front? And so we pulled up front, there was a wheelchair, they picked her up and whisked her away. And I'm just standing there like, I don't even know where she went. Do I need to park the car?
Eric
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Matt
The security guard was so cool. He's all "Just go in, man. We'll take care of your car." And so went in about maybe 45 minutes later. So it was a while, it was a while actually. She gave, she gave birth.
Eric
45 minutes was a while. That's so fast!
Matt
Well ... but I mean like, but we thought it was going to happen like within a second.
Eric
Yeah. Okay. Okay. Okay.
Matt
So got her in there, and then ... about an hour after, we're holding Eden, I'm like "... Our car!"
So I had to go downstairs ... it had been there for a couple hours just sitting out front.
Eric
Oh, that's funny. It was still sitting there. He didn't move it or something. Yeah. Okay. I thought he might ... I thought you like tossed him the keys.
Matt
I don't even know in that moment what happened.
Eric
Right. You're just like blank. Yeah. It's a fog.
Matt
Anyways, that's not a story. Not a story I was planning to say. Not a story anyone cares about, but ...
Eric
That's exciting actually.
Cause we were both like, both my kids though were, were like past due date, kind of like late. And so ended up having to induce. And so it was like these long, you know, it was like from the moment of like the, the drip of the induction stuff starting, it was like 12 hours later or something. So it was, you know, we didn't have like that rushing kind of feeling ever. Cause I remember getting like, when we first, when B first got pregnant, kind of that feeling of like, well, I got it. I guess I should pack a bag and like be ready to just go, go, go, go, go. But never had that experience. So I kind of like, it sounds kind of fun to have that like TV, like in the backseat of the car.
Matt
Could you deliver a baby if you needed to? Do you think you could?
Eric
Oh yeah. Easy.
Seriously. Like, what would be hard about it?
Matt
Everything!
Eric
I don't know. You just, she just pushed it, puts her legs up.
Matt
You got to cut the cord!
Eric
No, it's easy. I could do it with like a, like a shard of like found on the side of the road, like a, like a rock. You just cut it.
Dude. I mean, cavemen were doing this stuff, dude. I think like we're, I think, I think the human body is ...
Matt
We've made it way too technical. All right.
Eric
I'm not like your nature person either. So I am just playing about this.
Matt
Any pregnant women listening to this podcast, would you email us? Do you want Eric to deliver your child?
Eric
Now ... Yeah. To be clear, I'm saying my job would be easy. Not the woman's job. She's doing the hard stuff.
Matt
To be clear, like anyone needed that cleared up. Of course.
Eric
No, no, no. I'm just saying I'm not saying that. To be clear that that's not a proclamation I'm making. [laughing]
No, I know they don't need it to be like, to be clear that the woman's job is harder. I just don't ... want to be clear. I'm not saying my job my job would be harder.
Matt
We get it. We get it. We get you. You're just confident you could deliver a baby. Healthy baby.
Eric
Healthy baby.
Matt
Wow.
Eric
I mean, like God's will is God's will.
I can't control like what happens. Like that's God's will. Yeah.
Matt
Oh yeah. I don't even know if I could like ... stitch up somebody. I couldn't do anything.
Eric
They always want, they always want like towels and like a bucket of water or something like warm water. I don't know. I don't think you need any of that stuff.
You just need hands ... [laughing] and some sort of some sort of mildly sharp object. Although the umbilical cord is a lot stronger. I think we've even talked about this before.
Matt
Did you cut the cord?
Eric
Yeah. When you cut the cord, I had cut the cord on one of my kids. There was like some sort of issue with one where the doctor had to do it. And it was like, like, yeah, I kind of cut through that thing. Like, I don't know if it was just like the scissors weren't sharp or whatever, but so I recognize with a shard off the side of the road, it could be a little complex. [laughing]
I love coming out like just super confident about something I have no clue about. [laughing]
OK, let's go back. Let's go back to Sunday.
Matt
Ok, Sunday ... we got way off there! So Matt Hemphill preached Luke chapter three.
Eric
Oh yeah, they just had a baby. That's why we got there.
Matt
They just had sweet little Walker.
Eric
I delivered Walker.
Matt
And so yeah, three weeks after his wife gave birth, Matt's up in the pulpit and just crushed it. Did such a good job. He loved, I loved the take. I probably would have never in a hundred sermons on that very passage would have come up with what he came up with. And I'm not saying that's, I think he was right, but I just, I just didn't see that in the passage. And it was so refreshing, exciting to see how he looked at, wow, the temple, the fire that, um, came down the temple back in the Old Testament, how it's referenced in what even is said there in Luke chapter three.
Eric
Yeah, that's pretty cool, huh? Yeah, that's pretty cool. You might, I've seen it if you deep studied it. Yeah, I'm not, I'm not, I'm just trying to, I think it was really great when Matt did, but I'm not trying to sell you short. I think in the, I think, I don't think he like made that up. I'm pretty sure it was like in the commentaries.
Matt
So Matt said this, he said, let's all repeat this. "I'm the temple of God." Say it after me. "I'm the temple of God."
Eric
Oh, sorry. Sorry. Oh, after you? Okay. Okay.
Matt
I'm the temple of God.
Eric
I'm the temple of God.
Matt
Baptized by fire.
Eric
Baptized by fire.
Matt
Filled with the presence of God.
Eric
Filled with the presence of God.
Matt
Isn't that good? So he was saying though, a lot of us feel like the opposite of that, that even though that may be the reality of believers place their faith in Jesus, we feel like an abandoned mall strip mall or we feel like a burnt down building or a condemned building. That was one that really hit me. Like the condemnation of our own life and background. We don't feel like that temple that's been baptized with fire and it's filled with the presence of God.
Eric
Yeah. It's just, yeah, that was really, really good. And that sense of to be commissioned to live that way and to be that temple in the world that we live in, I thought was like also really meaningful to me of just like these initial things that really like stood out. And that's like, I love that, that connection from the first dedication of the temple. So it was really good, like the way he was able, Matt does a good job of kind of getting you in the moment of the scripture and also illustrating. So I like, cause like, I really like how, what you're saying about like the strip mall or the burnt down building or the abandoned building. Cause that's like, whoa, I'm connecting myself to that story. But also I felt like I was able to be a person in the, like the first dedication, what first Chronicles six and seven, I think it was ... where, where it was like this imagining fire coming down from heaven and God's presence filling the temple. Like, whoa, that's intense. I bet it's so interesting.
You know, gosh, I always say this, but it's like that, how do you doubt in those days? Like, you know, I don't know when you see stuff, but then I think about that, like how do you doubt in those days? But then I just heard someone tell a story this morning, you and I were in a meeting with someone telling a story of where they felt prompted by the Spirit to pray over someone that day that was going to have a specific issue, like with their leg, I think it was ... A specific injury that was, you know, that was not healing and to pray over that person that was like, even like seeing like what shirt they were wearing or something like that. And then they went to a park and they saw that a person like that and they prayed over them and then the person was, was healed. And like, yeah, that's a credible person that we know.
Matt
Supernatural.
Eric
Yeah. Supernatural thing. And so like I say, how could they even doubt then when they see fire from heaven? But then I know I still doubt when I hear stories like that. And from again, a very credible person, which is like, ah, it's wild, but, but yeah, so it's just so epic. I felt like I was there, like, just like fire coming down from heaven. And then you're just like, oh, they're on there, like on their faces. Like of course they were on their faces before God laying down just face down on the ground.
Matt
Just holy fear.
Eric
Yeah. Which I just kind of like, oh, I feel like it's like we got to get ourselves into that place a little bit more of like recognizing the immense awesomeness of God. Yeah. And so like taking that and then going to all the way to Pentecost where the people were baptized with fire, where in that same way, it's like this, this moment of ... for them and that was like a moment of spiritual baptism, Holy Spirit baptism for them, for us. Now that occurs at the moment of our conversion of our salvation. So anyway, but just like that was so cool to make that connection.
Matt
Yeah. And just to think through too, in a post-Christian culture society where people may never step foot into a worship service, we bring the worship service in a sense of being the temple of God filled with the presence of God. We bring that wherever we go. That's not something I think any of us really think about by a moment by moment basis of like, whoa, when I interned in my workplace, when I'm watching the Superbowl, the temple of God is present and with people. Now maybe the part that I need to even figure out theologically is like, well, God's presence is everywhere. So there's not a place that God's banned from necessarily. So I don't bring God's presence necessarily where I go.
Eric
But he was still omniscient in the Old Testament yet his presence dwelled in the temple. It's like where he dwells. Just for us to talk it out, right? Yeah. It's interesting.
Matt
Right. Yeah. I have this thought like whenever we do like a mission, like a GO team trip, we're not bringing God to those places. God's already doing work there. He's already showed up there. And yet there's maybe something that we do that could bring awareness of that presence, that reality. So it's maybe a "both and" in some ways.
Eric
It is a "both and", but I think there is something different about God's dwelling in the temple to God's omnipresence in the earth ... in the Old Testament.
Matt
I could agree with that. Yeah.
Eric
So we are bringing that to people. And now it's not like, so yeah, you gotta be careful. It's not like, oh, as you go to, if you were saying, I go to some other country or go to somewhere like, or some like less, some almost like poorer community or something. It's like, oh, here I come to bring you, you know, like, cause I am so great. But it's, but there is something to that the presence of God dwelling in us as his temple is different and unique. I don't know how to explain it more fully, but it is.
Matt
Well, I think we can hold both those things in tension, right? Like, yeah, God's already working and moving. And yet when we show up as a believer in Christ, the Spirit of God's able to testify to people in a unique way. And Marie's had, I think I've even mentioned this before, but Marie's as a nurse, when she worked in the hospital, she would walk into rooms and occasionally she'd have people say this happened a couple of times, like, "are you a Christian?" Like there was something about her countenance where they could just, they sensed there was something different or set apart about her. I would love for people to be able to say that, right?
Eric
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
Matt
Like, wow, there's the presence of God is here when that person walks into the room.
Eric
Yeah. Cause there is something about that. Like there is something about how, yeah, the presence of God, it says, went rushed in and filled the temple, right? In first Chronicles. So that presence of God is somehow like, again, I know I've just said this a couple of times, but again, unique to his omnipresence. Are you feeling that? Like, are you getting that? Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. Yeah. What kind of thing happens in that presence of God? Like, I guess that's where like worship through sacrifice took place. That's where the leaders would go and like hear from God. Right. Right. Like what should we do now? Yeah. I don't know. I'm just trying to think of ways to connect that.
Matt
I think they fell on their faces when they were in the presence of God, when they sensed the holiness of God. So is it possible that when the temple of God shows up, people face, like feel a conviction that has nothing to do with our judgment or even anything we say, but it's just who's filling us. Right. So I don't know. I mean, I think sometimes it's hard to separate as a pastor. People will hear I'm a pastor just in my everyday life. And sometimes they'll make jokes. I told someone I was a pastor this weekend and there was this blank face of like, oh, and I can tell they're working really hard to have a blank face, but I'm sure inside they were like, oh, this guy is ... fill in the blank. Whatever their positive, negative, ... I better watch my language.
Eric
They always do that. Yeah. Yeah.
Matt
So, but you wonder if there is like, like you ever had people like in their workplace who just like, that guy doesn't like me. I've never done anything to him, but there's something that person just is against me. Maybe it is a sense of conviction they're feeling about something. I don't want to make that as excuse to like, you know, oh, it's just, you know, it's the presence of God in me. And so ...
Eric
Even though I'm a jerk to you.
Matt
But you just wonder sometimes if there's some supernatural unseen realm where there's a conviction that someone faces when they're in.
Eric
Yeah. It's like, I hope that they, I hope they sense like some more things other than just conviction. You know what I mean? Cause it's like, yeah, we bring that conviction, but also hopefully hope and love and joy and peace and all the fruit.
Matt
And that's what the temple brought, right? When they're in the temple, there was a sense of conviction. I need to change and repent even as John the Baptist says here in Luke. But there was also a sense of awe and worship and beauty and no sacrifice is worth that, you know, is good enough. Like I'll give anything right now. I hope those things are also.
Eric
Yeah. Cause I remember reading, I was reading something that was like conviction is like good. Like where guilt will lead to a sense of joy.
Matt
Yeah. I read that this summer. Yeah.
Eric
Conviction leads to joy because it leads to repentance, which leads to forgiveness and then that leads to joy.
Matt
Yeah. It's funny that you're mentioning God Joy right now, the book. Because I just did a quick Google search earlier today.
Eric
For God joy. It didn't show up?
Matt
No, it said, Amazon's bestseller list of books named God Joy. You're number two.
Eric
I can't do this podcast. Wait, is that real? Cause I'm gonna freak out if that's actually real.
Matt
Oh yeah. You're number two of one.
Eric
Oh my goodness. I'm both one and two. What'd you Google? God joy book.
Matt
Oh yeah, let's Google it together live right now.
Eric
Googling God Joy book.
"God Joy", amazon.com, "Finding freedom from guilt and strength [in suffering]".
Matt
How much does it cost?
Eric
It's probably like 15 bucks or something.
Matt
All proceeds go to our refugee fund here at Calvary.
Eric
Whoa, that feels like a lot. It says $23. Oh, it's like a used one. Someone's selling a used one for $23. They're trying to sell it, my book for more than they got it for.
Matt
No. Maybe it has your autograph in it too.
Eric
Three used from $23. Who are these people? Let's find them. "Awesome books, USA", "SRS company". What the heck? This is crazy. This is weird stuff you guys. Just so you know, like when you see this.
Matt
Maybe it's like a collector's edition of God joy. Like it's the unabridged version.
Eric
Yeah, it was like the one I gave to like Jim Burns who wrote the foreword.
Matt
I've been trying to get you to do an audio version.
Eric
I know. I actually want to do an audio version. I just haven't had the time.
Matt
You should. Let's do it right now. We can do it on the podcast. Do you have it?
Eric
Alright, Godjoy.com. I don't know. I'm just kidding. I definitely don't have it memorized.
Matt
But back to, yeah. So conviction can lead to joy, can lead to worship. So but yeah, it's just, it's crazy to think about the temple of God and even some practical things. Oh man, I'm going to get close to the heart now. But like, you know, it says in Corinthians, Matt referenced this, but you know, don't abuse the temple of God. So how do I do that by eating too many Doritos for Super Bowl Sunday or just the things I think about or take in, right? Like to even realize that while the Prince of God's filling us, it's pretty sacred.
Eric
Yeah, yeah, that's true. It's true. Yeah. It's interesting because the temple of God was a beautiful place. And so even to remember that God has designed and created you, like he gave the, God gave the designs for the temple in the tabernacle to Moses. Like here's how, at least in like the Holy of Holies in the main temple part, like here's how I want this to be. Very specific. And so like that was God's design and it was beautiful. And God designed you very specifically, like the way he wanted you to be. And so...
Matt
Are you talking to me?
Eric
Yeah, I'm talking to you directly, Matt.
Matt
Oh, thank you.
Eric
I do try to be positive to you. I'm very kind to you about, I think you're a very handsome man. It makes him uncomfortable when I say that. [laughing]
But no, but he did. He did. He designed you wonderfully, perfectly, beautifully the way he wanted you to be. But maybe part of it too is like, even like kind of that sense of accepting how God has created you. Like if you are self like judgmental, don't judge God's design and temple. Or look down on him ... Yeah.
Matt
Right. Personality characteristics.
Eric
But yeah, you're right. Like as we should take care of ourself to be healthy, to be, to care for, you know, not just like to eat right or exercise for like, you know, beauty, like for the acclaim of the world. Yeah. For vanity. That's a better word. And then, but like maybe to do that in a sense of worship almost. That's kind of interesting, right? I might not have ever even thought of it that way. Right now I can all work day. I can do Ironman training. [laughing]
Matt
Just worshiping me.
Eric
That's funny.
Matt
So then that led to yesterday, kind of a time for the people of Calvary to, okay, where am I at with all of this? Do I look at myself properly? Do I need to even rededicate the temple in a sense that dwells within me to the Lord? Be commissioned. Well, there was a third one too. I'm kind of blanking out right now.
Eric
Well, it was to receive Christ, like to have the presence come into the temple. Yeah. I think, right. Receive Christ, be commissioned for ministry.
Matt
I think it was...
Eric
Sorry, Matt [Hemphill].
Matt
Full disclosure, we invited Matt [Hemphill] to be here, but apparently...
Eric
I know. Yeah. I invited him like three hours ago. He does have a life. Running a church and a family and like take care of his family.
Matt
No, we're just teasing.
Eric
So yeah, yeah. But people were coming forward for prayer.
Matt
It was awesome.
Eric
So great. I mean, you like prayed with a few different people. I did as well. I was talking to a couple of people, a couple of other leaders that prayed with like five different people each. And you're just like, cool. There's like tons of people coming forward just to be with, even just to sort of be with the Lord, like bask in his presence. Because that was another thing where it was just like, maybe you just need to be one of the first Chronicles seven people just bowing down on your face before a holy God. That was powerful. Yeah. What were you... I don't know. What were your thoughts at that moment?
Matt
Yeah, it was just special Sunday. I mean, it's like, you know, every time we gather with the family of God, it's special. But it felt like yesterday there was kind of uniqueness going on, which is kind of interesting because I mean, just between me and you and the three people listening, sometimes it feels like there's certain holiday Sundays or days where everyone's a little distracted. And that always kind of felt like Super Bowl Sunday. It's such a national thing that people are already thinking, what am I doing this afternoon? And yet it felt like just a really unique day where none of that really was on the docket, at least in my mind.
Eric
Yep. We were fully engaged.
Matt
It was like, whoa, we're here just to meet with the Lord and be together with this. So it was very special. Kind of even, I guess I would even say surprising.
Eric
Yeah. Yeah. It was good. It was good. And even like sort of like to give a little behind the scenes for people listening to the podcast and you get the little special inside information. But yeah, we like plan these services and we try to plan them prayerfully and thoughtfully. And sort of based on a lot of like, a lot of based on where the preacher is feeling like the passage is taking us. So here's where I feel like this passage is leading us to respond in a certain way. And so we had some things planned. And then like we were on a, just like a time of prayer with some of our pastoral staff just kind of ... prayer on Thursday. And I was just feeling like a sense like God was leading us to have a little, like some more time to respond at the end. Like really wanting us to like lean into that.
Matt
Now question, was this, you were feeling that for this particular last Sunday or just in general?
Eric
Well, okay. So I will, that's a good question because I actually was feeling this about like, I feel like that's, I was feeling a prompting from God that we might need to be doing that more for a season. I don't know how long, but I kind of like felt like, hey, let's have some more opportunities. Because we even had a bit of that at the last Sunday in January, which is only a couple weeks ago. It's not that long ago. So we had like a time like that a couple of weeks ago. And then I was just like, I feel like God is calling us to this something in repentance. Because we've been talking about repentance with this John the Baptist message of repentance. And even as we talked about with Tim last week of like this repentance is this like, this turning of our minds towards God and even an openness to whatever he would want to do in us, through us, whatever. And so I just was, I'm like feeling like we need to be just kind of like a repeated season of openness to responding to that in some way. And I just sort of had an image of that, like we have to press into that as a church. And so I was like, well, this Sunday feels like a great, like passage, let's go for it too. And so I sent a text Thursday morning after we planned the service on Tuesday, we kind of finalized the plans of the service on a Tuesday. On Thursday, I'm just like, hey, I think we should move some stuff around. I think we need to just be able to spend a little bit more time in response.
Matt
Create some more space at the end of the service.
Eric
Yes, yes. So because no matter what in the service, you're gonna have a certain amount of songs before the sermon and a certain amount of songs after the sermon, even if that number is zero. Right. You're just, you gotta make some decisions about where you're gonna have some chance for that. And the way it was structured, at least in our current plan was a little bit different. And that's what we try to do. We do try to have like a plan, but also try to hold that plan loosely if we feel like God's leading us. And so we did. So we added a song to the later part and kind of just had a part that was just gonna be able to be extended if we felt like that's where God was going. And then we did, and then we kind of flexed even from that plan, we kind of flexed on Sunday and just kept it going for a little while longer because people were coming forward and doing business with the Lord. And that's what we want, like this time of ministry happening. And that was really cool. And then it was just sort of this interesting thing to me in the midst of all that and that goodness. And we're looking to see like maybe we'll just be open to more of that this week and the next and see, Lord, what are you doing? And then in the midst of all that, I hadn't read anything about this before we had sent some of what I'm about to say before that time and had sent these texts and just decided to try to do that this last Sunday. But then I'd start hearing about this thing happening across the country at this place called Asbury. I think it's Asbury Theological School or something like that.
Matt
Yeah, they have like an undergrad too.
Eric
Undergrad as well in Kentucky, where at like a chapel, an evening sort of chapel service, like just a worship service, somehow... And it's not like a kooky place or something, it's just like a, you know, whatever. Or not an extremely charismatic place or something, let's say. And a very simple little just chapel, just like a couple of instruments and some songs. And for however this looks, I haven't really watched extended videos or anything, but that there's been some sort of movement of God's spirit that they just... Nobody wanted to stop. And then it's like still going days later, this worship service, this chapel is still going and then people are kind of like talking about it. Whoa, what's going on? Is this some sort of revival happening stemming out of this place? Now, I'm not saying necessarily anything other than I think it's like interesting and cool potentially of how God was prompting us to have some sense of, hey, let's extend these worship times. Let's kind of lean into what this is, while at the same time revival is kind of popping up in some other places. So I don't know, who knows how God will choose to move, but maybe God's stirring something.
Matt
Yeah, I mean, biblically and both in the history of the church, God has used revival in some pretty great ways. I mean, look at the book of Nehemiah and the people realize that they've lost the word of God. They dig it up, they find it, they read it, they fall on their faces back to "God Joy", right? And just worship. And so there's revival in moments like that. Billy Graham, if you don't know this, but Billy Graham had this crusade that was supposed to last three or four days here in LA in the 1950s, and it just kept going. I think it went for like seven, eight weeks. Maybe some fact checkers can help me on that. But I mean, it was just this unplanned movement of God. Now we don't live on the mountaintops necessarily, like we don't just chase camp highs and try to live there. But boy, God just uses those like special moments, unplanned moments at times to draw us towards him and then call us out, to call us to go. So I'll be curious, like even with this Asbury movement that happened kind of mid last week, it'll be interesting what happens from that. Like, will there be people called to go into the world? Will there be people that are called to even go share Christ with their neighbors and bring them to the worship nights? I'm just curious to see what's kind of happening from that.
Eric
Yeah, exactly. Because like that back in like some similar areas and stuff like with like back to the Great Awakening, it was like that kind of like there was these movements that happened out of that. Wesley and John Wesley and Charles Wesley and you know, like going out and seeing tons of people getting saved kind of out of some of those sorts of moments. And so yeah.
Matt
There's even a movie coming out through Greg Laurie's ministry called Jesus ..., I think "Jesus Revolution" or something. And just talking about the story of Calvary Chapel, Costa Mesa, Chuck Smith, and kind of the Jesus people movement that started out of there and kind of grew. And there's people that have been following faithfully at Calvary Church from those days. Bob Browning, who just shared his life story at our Alpha Course last Wednesday, he was part of that movement. And so it's just so cool how a revival moment can lead to a lifetime of faithfulness.
Eric
Yeah, exactly. Jerry Stanley, like he's even working on, he's been doing some kind of video stuff for some of those bands, like one of those bands Love Song. And I mean, my parents were around for that kind of stuff. They weren't part of the Calvary Chapel movement. They were part of another, actually like way more charismatic church called Melodyland. But like that kind of stuff happening and just like, it was kind of wild just to see the movement of God's Spirit. And so God moves in some different ways. And so what I loved is even just like, even for us, I love that we... If let's, I don't know, is God like exploding something? And I love that it was like something was percolating here before we already knew. So we're not trying to manufacture something, you know, because I think that's what's kind of beautiful about the Asbury thing to me, at least from what I've read or what I think is like maybe more sort of quote unquote legit about it. It wasn't a group of like pastors getting together and saying, let's do a, you know, we just feel, let's do a revival. You know, let's make it happen. And so like sometimes you see that it kind of forces, people trying to force that. It was just this very simple, quaint place that all of a sudden like...
Matt
Unexpected.
Eric
Yeah, it's unexpected. But I love that there's like some connection.
Matt
Yeah. Like there's a place on First Street in Santa Ana and when I drive by it, this church, they'll have a poster out there saying revival week or something like that.
Eric
Revival service, like Thursdays or whatever.
Matt
Now I don't think that's wrong because I think what they're trying to, what they're hoping for is like, oh, people just to repent and change.
Eric
Yeah, revive our hearts. Yeah, yeah, exactly.
Matt
Right. But if you're just chasing a feeling. That can be so fleeting. Or if, yeah, like you're saying, trying to manufacture a feeling.
Eric
Yes. But often movements begin out of like movements to some greater things happen out of like revival, not just a cool worship service.
Matt
I mean, think of your story, right? Like going to the mountains for a ski trip with your youth group, having genuine moment of God just touching your heart. I have something like that being down on a Mexico missions trip and, you know, I was planning a kind of a worship time at the end of a lawn building day, but it going for a couple hours and just people hungry for God, you know, hungry to just worship and grow close to God.
Eric
Yeah. I prayed a commissioning prayer on Sunday over a young man that I feel like, I mean, that could have been a moment of like his life of ministry. You know what I mean? It's like radical. Like there could be some looking backs to some of these Sundays where even here, where it was like the beginning of God really like pressing into some cool stuff.
Matt
So we want to come expectant when we gather together here at Calvary, not just go, Oh, it's another Sunday. Park in my same spot, talk to the same people about the same things and then go home. It's like, no, let's come with this hopeful heart of like, God, you want to show up here.
Eric
Yep. Exactly. Amen. And I think even like, so what's interesting is like, okay, so this Sunday, how do we plan? And that's, and like what I want to be able to do is just say, okay, let's plan with like open hands. Let's plan with some like potential space and let's like, just like say, Lord, like do with this as you please. You know, if we feel led to keep going, we keep going. If we feel led to do a different song, we do a different song. If we feel led to just do the plan on paper, that's what we do, you know? And so like, I don't know. I just think there's like, that's part of like what we have to come to God with in general is just like a sense of openness and availability. And then it's like to say, okay, Lord, like, Lord, I want to be intentional with my life. Like I want to be purposeful for you, Lord, with my life, but I also want to be led by you. I know these truths of who you are and what your word says about how we should live as a believer. So I know it's going to be something within those, like within those guardrails or within those instruction, but like, Lord, I'm open. Like God, please like use me in some way. I'm open and available to you. And then we step into what we feel like, like the way God is leading us. And that could be from an impression, a sense, a guidance from a trusted source in our life, you know, something we read in his word, time in prayer, time in a worship service. Yeah. So all sorts of ways.
Matt
Sure. Yeah. And then there's other, like, just to kind of play the flip side planning. So spontaneity is not equal, more ...
Eric
Holy Spirit led
Matt
... intimacy with God or something like that. So I mean, often you can plan, okay, I'm going to plan to go serve in this nation for the next 20 years. And you do. And that's good. And God can use it, do amazing things. So we're not saying planning is antithesis to God's movement, power, revival, but we're also saying that let's just be careful that our plans don't get in the way of what God wants to do.
Eric
Yeah. And just become robotic with our plans. We make a plan. And that's what I mean by like, we'll still like, we'll still have a plan, you know, we'll still like have things that we feel like, okay, we feel like this could be good. Let's have some like openness to what God will do in the midst of like the whole thing, but especially maybe in these certain moments. And then it's kind of like, I've told this story multiple times, but the story that like the senior pastor of the church I grew up in told me when I was thinking about what I should do with my life in ministry, I said, no, I should be doing ministry, but I didn't know where or what. And he said, it's, you know, the whole thing of ministry is like a pool. And he said, you can, a life, and this is not just like a life of working job like we have in ministry, but any of us, like how you would serve God with your life, like what is your calling in life? Right. And you're looking at it like a pool. So imagine yourself walking around the kind of the deck. Thank you. Goodness gracious. You're walking around the deck around the pool.
Matt
Do you have water wings on?
Eric
[laugh] You might, but I'd say take the water wings off.
Matt
Are you wearing sunscreen?
Eric
You probably are. Cause you want to have good skin.
Matt
Okay. Keep going.
Eric
Let me be serious. No, but you're walking in the deck, looking around the pool, ooh, deep end, shallow end. Oh, I'm going to put my, just put my toe in. Is it chilly? Is it, is this part warm? It's in the sun. This part's in the shade. Where should I jump in? Should I walk down the steps? What should I do? I don't know what to do. And you could just like walk around with indecision and just, you're just constantly just looking, looking, looking. And he says, walk up to the pool, wherever you are, jump in, start serving. God's going to move you around to the, just the right spot for you. So jump in, serve him, be faithful where he's placed you. And then you're going to sense him kind of like, kind of helping you drift in the currents of the pool.
Matt
That's a great word.
Eric
Yeah. Isn't that cool?
Matt
Yeah, it really is. I think for some of us that are listening right now and probably need to hear that.
Eric
Yeah. Yeah. I talked to somebody even like even sometime this week or something that they remembered that story and I was super happy. It made me, you know, when you, whenever we say anything that someone actually remembers, you're like, Oh, thank God it was helpful.
Matt
Well, obviously we forget, we forgot the flagpole.
Eric
Oh ... Back to depression. [laughing]
Yeah. But man, what just powerful movement of God. And I believe I'm like a big, I've always been this way, even as a youth pastor, like I want people to make a physical response to what they've heard. And for some reason, whatever reason, even from when I was a youth pastor, even at a previous church, like over 22 years ago, I feel like it's helpful for us to come forward and kneel in response to God in some way. And so I was even saying to somebody, I was like, I felt like I was the church's youth pastor on Sunday. But just for me, because it kind of takes me back to that stage of life.
Matt
I would agree, but just help us even understand what about moving forward or moving in the room or kneeling, what does that do?
Eric
Yeah, I think it is a physical, it's almost like how baptism is a symbol of our, what's already happened within us. It's this physical expression of this movement of God in us. And we have this sense of God's presence with us, even if it's just like in worship, not in some sort of decision or repentance or whatever, it's merely in response to His goodness and His holiness and we wanna come. And I think if you come forward and kneel before Him, and especially if you come and receive prayer in that way and be prayed over for whatever's happening, it's just such a rich moment of response to God. And it's a physical expression of what's happening inside. You can merely sit at your seat, 35 rows back on the second to the left section, and that's fine. God exists there. God moves there just as He is around the world. But I don't know, there's something about that coming forwardness to me that just locks it in a little bit more too, for some reason. It doesn't mean... I don't mean... When I say locks it in a little bit more, that's probably the wrong words, but it is something that just, it solidifies this commitment in your life. Yeah. Submission.
Matt
Yeah, I agree. I can only say what I've experienced too with that, and there's just something about that of moving physically in the room or posture-wise that does cement some of the things that God's doing in your heart and spirit. Now, Marie and I were at a wedding a couple of weeks ago, and the DJ's like, okay, everybody up for a group photo on the dance floor. And I'm like, oh, Marie, I know exactly what he's gonna do. And so we all took this photo on the dance floor, and then the song's like ... [vocalizes dance music] It's like, all right, people.
Eric
Let's stay out here and dance.
Matt
I'm like the world's worst dancer. I have no rhythm. I got one move and it's not very good. And Marie's just gifted. I don't know, something in her.
Eric
I know, so is my wife too. I don't understand it.
Matt
So it makes me even feel worse. But I mean, there's some people who just aren't wired to be expressive physically, and that's okay. We want to... There's room for everyone, especially the beautiful thing about a non-denominational church like Calvary is we're gonna have people in different spectrums that are comfortability when it comes to physical demonstration of worship and style and that kind of thing. So we don't want everyone to think like, oh, if you never go forward or get on your knees, you're not really getting it. Like that's not true. Yeah. I'd also like lovingly encourage the people of Calvary or wherever you're listening to this at to just try some experiential things where maybe you do open your hands during worship and there's something about that that just helps you remind yourself that you're surrendering to God in your life or to get on your knees if you're physically able.
Eric
Even just at your seat, like you don't have to like come...
Matt
Right. Or you said something yesterday like, I know some of you are thinking, oh, I should go up and get prayer, but I don't want to... Or there's something like you're kind of battling it, but maybe just step of faith, just go up and maybe break that. Whatever that maybe timidity or fear is. But also here, please, please hear from my heart, those type of things don't equal spirituality or maturity or something like that, but I think they can help you, but I don't want you to... We're not measuring how good worship is and how people are raising their hands or going forward.
Eric
Right. And I wonder, in First Chronicles, is it six or seven when this happens? I was kind of curious about it, if it says anything about like the unexpressive people didn't get down on their face before God?
Matt
[laughing] Oh, that's funny.
Eric
Is that a little too far? I don't know. I think is it Second Chronicles? I know I might have the passage wrong. It might be Second Chronicles. I forget where it was that he was preaching from chapter and verse. But at the same time, so that's why, yes, I totally agree with everything you're saying. I agree with everything you're saying, but I do wonder if all of us could just stretch a little bit because we're in the presence of a holy God. I don't think we'll see him in heaven ...
Matt
That's not my deal.
Eric
Yeah, sorry. I just, I don't really do that kind of expression. I think we'll be on our face before Him. So let's practice now. But again, yeah, that's definitely with grace, but just challenge yourself a bit. I'm sure anybody listens to the podcast will be fine challenging themselves, coming to the flagpoles and stuff like that. Just kidding. All right. Well, that was good. Good talking about this last Sunday.
Matt
Thank you, Matty Hemphill. Thank you, New Life.
Eric
Oh, yeah. So I call him Matty a lot. And it was funny because we were going over kind of like the flow of the morning with like the band and the tech crew. And we had some band people from New Life, some people in the band were people from New Life. And I said, Matty or whatever. And then they came up to me afterwards. They go, they were in front of Matt. They said, can we call you Matty? Eric calls you Matty. I've never heard you be called Matty before. And he said, yeah, I think that's just something that like Eric and Matt do with me or something as like youth pastors.
Matt
Yeah, the bummer is when you grow up somewhere, people names attach when you're younger.
Eric
Yeah, but he was like, no, I don't want to be called Matty. It was so funny because I was like, yeah, you have to call him Reverend Hemphill. We talked about that before too, about pastor title. Nobody's mentioned that to me, though. No, they went to the flagpole. They didn't call me Pastor Eric. No, just kidding. I don't even want to be at all.
Matt
So should we do another meetup?
Eric
Yeah. So let's let's we got to do some more planning. We'll plan it outside of this. Make sure it's in our calendars. We'll talk about it for a couple of times. And then we'll and then we'll do it. So we do, we humbly apologize and we'll make this up to you in some way, which maybe it's just by not doing it ever again.
Did you see the the U2 ad in the Super Bowl?
Matt
I actually did not. I don't know how we missed that, but I heard about it. I heard they're going to do this residency in Vegas. Starting when?
Eric
Yes. In the fall. This is in the fall. So it's like this whole thing called the Sphere. And it's an actual ... so some sort of venue that is an actual sphere. I've not seen this. I've not been to Vegas since I think the last time U2 played in Vegas, just like four years ago. Yeah. Built, I think for them. But it's being built for them to start this residency. And it's just like a sphere.
Matt
It's interesting because usually actual likes the best acts play Vegas like, well, let's see, Celine Dion. You have ...
Eric
You trying to be mean, it's not going to work.
Matt
You have Carrot Top. You have ...
Eric
Who's the guy that smashes the watermelons? [laughing]
Matt
I was going to say Olivia Newton-John, but no, what, Wayne Newton or whatever his name was. Yeah. And now U2.
Eric
Yeah, there you go. Brittany, Brittany had one. [laughing]
It is a little bit. So the thing of U2, psycho fans like me, a couple of things we're sad about. One is old bands do residencies. Right. So a lot of these older bands will do residencies at places, which is
Matt
I mean, they're in their 60s, right?
Eric
Yeah, they're in their 60s. First album came out like 79. It's crazy. So and then Larry Mullen, Jr., the drummer, is having back surgery and they're going to be having someone else play drums for this first like leg or this first portion of it, which is kind of like the community, the YouTube community is very upset about this.
Matt
Well, because it's only happened one time when Adam Clayton actually had some,
Eric
I know,
Matt
...issues and was pulled from maybe a couple of shows or something. That's it.
Eric
It was like one show. It's like done. No more, though. It's never happened.
Matt
Every concert, it's always been the four.
Eric
Yeah, all four. And so this is kind of a big deal. So people are upset. People think they should just they just should have canceled. But people think that these contracts to do this were signed. This place was built like just intense commitments that need to be kept. So yeah.
Matt
Are you going to go out?
Eric
Oh, yeah, for sure. I actually posted on my Instagram. I said, does anyone have a ... does anyone have like a property? Does anyone own a house I could stay in for ... I have to do a sabbatical 2.0. Just go for three months of U2 shows every night.
Matt
Is that how long they're out there for, three months?
Eric
I don't actually don't know. Yeah, I actually don't know how long it'll be, but it's going to be very tempting for me to just not like just like once a week.
Matt
And it's just Achtung Baby right? It's just that.
Eric
Yeah. So this album Achtung Baby came out like 91-92. And yeah, it's going to be all songs from that, except what they did. They did this with Joshua Tree a few like five years ago or something. And for that, what they did was they did some random like random selection of songs at the beginning, then the whole Joshua Tree album in order and then some random songs at the end. So you got like a blend because it's like I was a little bummed when I heard it was like all Achtung Baby, honestly, even though it's debatably their best album.
Matt
One, better than the ...
Eric
Yeah. Yeah. So my favorite like my favorite U2 songs, Acrobat is on there. We used to have a blog called an acrobat, "An acrobat search", which was which was after that song. It says I must be an acrobat to talk like this and act like that. It's kind of means like a hypocrite, essentially, because I'm trying to like process through what it means to have a genuine faith. And so anyway, it's like very inspiring song.
Matt
So that's good. Something look forward to for you.
Eric
Something to look forward to. So if you guys want to go with me, we can like Calvary Church party in Vegas. Is that weird?
Matt
So I was pumped. I got an autographed poster this last weekend. From the Newsboys concert that was here. That thing's going up on my wall.
Eric
So were you big Newsboys fan? Nice.
Matt
Oh, yeah. Yeah. Who wasn't?
Eric
Don't they ... Do they have some NorCal roots or something? Oh, no, that's Sonic Flood, I think.
Matt
Yeah. Newsboys was originally from Australia.
Eric
Australia. That's right. And then now they've got Michael Tate.
Matt
Yeah. From DC talk.
Eric
DC talk is their lead singer. So they did like I heard they did Jesus Freak and like maybe a couple other DC Talk songs also. So if you were a child of the 90s or something, whenever that was, you're excited about that. I was never particularly a fan of either band, but definitely knowing about them. So ...
Matt
For sure. It was a Christian pop culture.
Eric
Yes. Yes. Exciting things happened here on Saturday night at Calvary. All right. Cool.
Matt
Good. We've had a good discussion!
Eric
Yeah. You got big Valentine's plans?
Matt
Oh, no. Marie's working all day. So we ... last few years we've done like we've gotten a pizza and then cut it in a heart. I actually got that from you. I think you were the one that told me about that.
Eric
Cooking for the yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So we do like to cook for the girls. Now my girls are getting a little older. It's kind of weird because now we got one in college, obviously. So she's not even home and it's just like just cooking for like Ella by herself. It's like a little bit weird. So I'll probably just cook for both Bea and Ella. So for some reason we've always done like scallops. It's like a thing like make scallops. I'm sure is a food you really enjoy.
Matt
Do you like Valentine? Do you like the little heart candies, little chalk candies?
Eric
You know, I don't mind a few of them. Can't have too many.
Matt
Yeah, it's like candy corn.
Eric
But I actually really like candy. I'm really weird about candy corn, but that's how most people feel about candy. I think. Yeah, you're right. [laughing]
All right. I think this is good. But yeah, happy Super Bowl. Happy Valentine's Day.
Matt
President's Day.
Eric
Happy President's Day. Have a great day. We love you guys. And we're sorry for not coming to the flagpole. But still email us at podcast at calvarylife.org. So thanks, Doan. And thank you for listening to the Calvary Life podcast.
End Credits
Thanks again for listening to the Calvary Life podcast. If you'd like to share any of your thoughts, please reach out to us at podcast at calvarylife.org. You can find out more about the show on Instagram @calvarylife or on our website at calvarylife.org/podcast.