In this episode of The Pastoral Associates, Matt Pressley and Kyle Huntsinger sit down with Gerard De Prete, owner of Chapin Bagels and a Staten Island, New York native, for a conversation filled with faith, powerful stories, and plenty of laughs.

Gerard shares his journey to faith in Jesus Christ, how the Lord worked through different seasons of his life, and stories from his time connected to the NYPD, including his experiences surrounding September 11, 2001.

But it wouldn’t be The Pastoral Associates without getting a little off track! The conversation also ventures into New York sports, professional wrestling, what qualifies as real Italian food, the importance of good coffee, and plenty of other random topics along the way.

It’s an episode about faith, life, tragedy, redemption, New York, and bagels—with a lot of fun mixed in.

Join Matt and Kyle for a great conversation with Gerard De Prete and hear the story behind the man who brought a little taste of New York to Chapin!

In this episode of In the Fold, we continue our series “Church Membership Matters” by focusing on the vital role of serving within the body of Christ.

Scripture teaches that every believer is saved not only by grace, but for good works. As Ephesians 2:10 reminds us, we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to serve. The New Testament consistently presents the church as a body where every member plays a part, using their spiritual gifts to build up one another.

In this conversation, we explore:

• Why serving is essential to biblical church membership

• How spiritual gifts function in the life of the local church

• What the “one another” commands reveal about mutual ministry

• How pastors and leaders are called to equip the saints for the work of ministry

• How serving becomes an act of worship within the gathered church

We also reflect on moments when the church served in powerful ways that revealed the beauty of the body of Christ working together.

Ultimately, this episode asks an important question:

What would change in the life of the church if every member saw serving not as an obligation, but as worship?

Join us as we discuss how serving shapes the health, unity, and mission of the local church.

Nikki Handeland dives into the meaning of Psalm 90 and some great application for us!

In the Fold Episode 4: The Lord's Supper is the next topic Pastor Michael, Matt, and Kyle address in our church membership series.

This week on The Pastoral Associates, Matt Pressley and Kyle Huntsinger hit the microphones for a special Breaking News & Rapid-Fire Reactions episode, tackling some of the biggest recent stories making headlines in and around the Christian world.

From serious stories involving pastors, churches, crime, and accountability to fascinating new claims surrounding Noah’s Ark, Matt and Kyle give their reactions and consider what Christians should make of it all.

We discuss the Caleb Flynn guilty verdict, the South Carolina pastor and wife arrested over allegations of stealing from a Columbia-area church, the upcoming Netflix docuseries examining the story of Mica Miller and John-Paul Miller, criminal cases involving individuals connected to a Pawleys Island church, and the latest Noah’s Ark news and archaeological claims.

Along the way, we ask bigger questions about pastoral integrity, church accountability, protecting the flock, responding wisely to scandal, evaluating sensational headlines, and distinguishing compelling evidence from what Scripture actually requires us to believe.

It’s a different kind of episode of The Pastoral Associates—current events, breaking news, rapid-fire reactions, and a biblical perspective on the stories everyone is talking about.

Why is teaching so important in children’s ministry?

In Episode 2 of Seriously Nikki, Chapin Baptist Children’s Director Nikki Handeland talks about the vital role biblical teaching plays in ministering to children. Children’s ministry is about much more than keeping kids entertained—it’s an opportunity to faithfully teach God’s Word and help build a biblical foundation that can shape them for years to come.

Nikki shares why intentional, age-appropriate teaching matters, how it supports the discipleship of children, and why the local church should take seriously the responsibility of helping the next generation know and understand the truth of Scripture.

Join Nikki for a practical conversation about teaching, discipleship, and investing in the next generation through children’s ministry.

In The Fold Episode 3: Baptism discussed by Pastor Michael, Matt, and Kyle

What does the Bible actually say about church?

In this episode of The Pastoral Associates, we continue our series, Things We Believe That Are Not in the Bible, by tackling some common assumptions Christians make about the church.

Does going to church make you a Christian? Can you follow Jesus without being connected to a local church? Is the church a building? Is worship just the music? Is ministry primarily the pastor’s job? And does a growing church automatically mean a healthy church?

We also talk about church hurt, consumer Christianity, unity in the midst of disagreement, and the tension between reaching unbelievers and building up believers.

Some of these ideas may contain a little truth—but when they become the way we understand the church, we can miss the beautiful picture Scripture gives us of God’s people gathering, worshiping, serving, growing, and going together.

Join us as we open Scripture and ask a simple question: What does the Bible actually say about the church?

📖 Ephesians 2:8–10 | Hebrews 10:24–25 | Acts 2:42–47 | 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 | Ephesians 4:11–16 | Matthew 28:18–20