LIVING FAITH BIBLE INSTITUTE

Hey Students!

As you move into the final stretch of the semester, the goal is not just to finish—but to finish faithfully. This is the time to shift from simply reading to capturing what God has taught you. Begin putting your thoughts on paper, even if they feel incomplete. Writing will sharpen your understanding and help you see where you need to grow. Set a simple, steady rhythm each week—time reading, time writing, and time revising. Little, consistent steps will carry you much further than last-minute effort.

Above all, guard your walk with the Lord. Fatigue can wear on both your discipline and your spirit, but your strength for this season comes from staying rooted in Him. Remember why you’re doing this—these assignments are not just academic, they are preparing you to handle the Word and serve others well. Proverbs 4:23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. Finish this season with a clear mind, a steady pace, and a heart that is right before God.

LFBI is intended for you to get a big dose of biblical teaching and ministry philosophy—you don't need to be perfect or capture everything—you just need to stay faithful.

God Bless,

The LFBI Team

In an expensive city, “meeting space” is one of the greatest tests to the fidelity of a pastor’s vision. Where you gather shapes how you gather, what you can sustain, and how your people think about stewardship, stability, and mission. And when a church doesn’t own its space, it lives with a constant paradox: the freedom of being nimble next to the vulnerability of being temporary. Today’s episode is about that pressure—how to steward God’s resources wisely—and how to keep the mission central when the ground keeps shifting underneath you—how do we think biblically about buildings without making buildings the goal. 

Our guest is Mike Reneau, a church planting pastor who’s been in Boston since 2020. Mike and his team began with a small core and initially rented a beautiful, affordable church space downtown with room to grow—until they were asked to leave by the owners because of their position on the King James Bible, forcing them to start fresh. Since then, the work has adapted, relocating to Newton, Massachusetts, where the context is more family-centric and the ministry rhythms have had to mature. In our conversation, Mike shares what he’s learned about stewardship, urban ministry realities, ownership versus renting, and how a church can stay light on its feet without losing its footing.

And don't forget to catch this week's episode of SoundMind!

Why do the patterns shaping your life feel so natural… even when they’re quietly working against you? In this episode, Jonathan Kindler continues the series The Things That Spread by exploring a deeper question: not just what shows up in life—but what keeps getting fed. Through scripture, storytelling, and honest reflection, this episode traces how small, repeated thoughts and reactions begin to take root, shaping identity, perspective, and behavior over time.

Every growing church eventually runs into a question that isn’t just practical—it’s pastoral: What do we do when the work is outgrowing the room? 

A building can be a blessing, but it can also become a bottleneck. And when a congregation has poured love, labor, and resources into a space, the thought of moving on to a new building brings real tension—feelings of uncertainty and—not to mention— the potential for distraction from the mission.

In today’s episode, we’re talking about what it looks like to pursue more space without losing spiritual focus: how to think clearly about stewardship, how to lead people through change, and how to make decisions that keep prayer, evangelism, and discipleship at the center. My guest is Lee Ridings, pastor of Greater Hope Baptist Church in Dallas, Georgia. Lee planted the church about twelve years ago, now the congregation is filling the pews and outgrowing their space, forcing a new season of questions that should help pastors and church planters trust the Lord for “space” in his timing.

And don't forget to catch this week's episode of SoundMind!

Why do the most significant changes in life rarely begin with dramatic moments? In this episode, Jonathan Kindler begins a new series exploring a surprising chapter of the Bible — Leviticus 13 — and the diagnostic wisdom it offers about how corruption actually spreads. Through scripture, personal stories, and everyday analogies, Jonathan unpacks how the patterns that shape us rarely arrive as explosions. Instead, they begin quietly: a thought that repeats, a reaction that lingers, a habit that slowly deepens its path.

 

Baptism is one of the most familiar practices in Christianity—and one of the most misunderstood. Is it a symbol, a sacrament, a step of obedience, or the moment salvation happens? In this episode, we trace baptism throughout the Bible and through its many different religious expressions in order to find out what’s doctrinally true. Along the way we tackle infant baptism, baptismal regeneration, “baptism by fire,” and why Baptists have historically treated baptism as an ordinance rather than a saving act. If you’ve ever wondered why sincere believers disagree so sharply on something practiced in nearly every church, this conversation will help you see both the history and the doctrine with clarity. 

Today we’re joined by Dr. Chris Best, instructor of Missiology at the Living Faith Bible Institute. Dr. Best has spent years helping students think carefully about the church’s mission and how doctrine shapes practice in real ministry contexts. His passion for Scripture and clarity in theological issues make him especially helpful for a discussion like this one.

And don't forget to catch this week's episode of SoundMind!

Why does it feel like every moment online demands a reaction? In this episode, Jonathan Kindler explores the modern phenomenon of virtue signaling—the subtle shift that happens when expressing moral convictions becomes performing them for an audience. Through cultural observation, biblical reflection, and personal stories from his years touring in a band, Jonathan examines the pressure to constantly announce where we stand and the hidden motivations that can shape what we say.

When someone opens their life to you and says they’re struggling, the hardest question is often not what’s wrong—but what kind of care does this moment require? In this reflective episode, Jonathan Kindler explores the quiet tension many helpers feel when trying to care for someone well. Through biblical insight, pastoral wisdom, and years of counseling experience, he walks through five common moments where helpers must discern what kind of support someone actually needs. From simple overwhelm to deeper patterns, from discipleship to counseling, and from community care to moments where safety becomes the priority, this episode offers a framework for understanding the different “lanes” of care God has designed.