The Ironworks Podcast

IronWorks Podcast #71 - Ministry Testimonies

Pastor Tyler's new book "Firebrand" is available NOW! https://www.ironworks.media/bookstore/p/firebrand Check out IronWorks Media, our Christian resource network! Registration for the IronWorks Bible Conference now open! https://www.ironworks.media/ Give to support the ministry of Calvary Chapel Trussville! https://tithe.ly/give?c=411758 More info on Calvary Chapel Trussville! 👇 https://launcher.nucleus.church/launcher/4a03a22309b4f591def1 Welcome to Episode 71 of the IronWorks Podcast! Pastor Tyler and Zack continue our series on the history, doctrine, and philosophy of ministry of Calvary Chapel in general—and Calvary Chapel Trussville in particular. In this episode, we cover: ✝️ **Ascension Day and the Exaltation of Christ** - What the ascension *actually* was (a real event from a place to a place) - Jesus’ exaltation and session at the Father’s right hand - Why Jesus being fully God and fully man *right now* in heaven matters ⚖️ **Christ Our Advocate & Intercessor** - Jesus as defense attorney vs. Satan as accuser - Intercession, advocacy, and what it means that He “ever lives to make intercession” - How the harrowing of hell and spiritual victory tie into your spiritual gifts ⛪ **Jesus as Head of the Church & the Great Commission** - How Christ actively leads His church today (not just as a symbol) - The role of the Holy Spirit in directing the church - The ascension, the Great Commission, and why missions/evangelism can’t be optional 🕊️ **Rapture, Resurrection, and Our Future Glory** - How the ascension points forward to the rapture and our own “ascension” - Being seated with Christ and partaking of the divine nature - What it means that a glorified *man* is seated at the right hand of God 📜 **From Costa Mesa to Lynchburg: Tyler’s Backstory** - How Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa shaped Tyler’s parents - The move to plant **Calvary Chapel Lynchburg, VA** - Tyler’s early ministry: worship team, youth ministry, radio, counseling, and more 🎸 **Youth Ministry, Worship Teams, and Learning the Hard Way** - Getting thrown into leadership at 17–20 and learning to lead people - Funny and painful worship team stories (anonymous letters, “this is *my* song,” etc.) - Teaching teens verse-by-verse, camps, small groups, and building a core team 🌍 **Short-Term Missions with High Schoolers** - Russia and Costa Rica trips: evangelism, skatepark outreach, and wild stories - How missions shaped the students—and the leaders - Why short-term missions, when done right, still matter 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 **Serving with Family and Not Burning Out** - Bringing babies to camp, Russia, and everywhere else - How their wives partnered in ministry (not resenting it, but owning it) - Why “burnout” is often misunderstood, and the blessing of being “exhausted for Jesus” 🧱 **Calvary Culture: Worked Like a Rented Mule (In a Good Way)** - How Calvary Chapel raises leaders: show up early, stay late, say yes - Loving the *work* of ministry, not just the idea of ministry - Why serving in church is one of God’s primary tools to grow you Ministry Testimonies (Ironworks Podcast #71)

IronWorks Podcast #70 - The History of Calvary Chapel

Pastor Tyler's new book "Firebrand" is available NOW! https://www.ironworks.media/bookstore/p/firebrand Check out IronWorks Media, our Christian resource network! Registration for the IronWorks Bible Conference now open! https://www.ironworks.media/ Give to support the ministry of Calvary Chapel Trussville! https://tithe.ly/give?c=411758 More info on Calvary Chapel Trussville! 👇 https://launcher.nucleus.church/launcher/4a03a22309b4f591def1 Welcome to Episode 70 of the IronWorks Podcast! Pastor Tyler and Zack kick off a brand-new series on the history, doctrine, and philosophy of ministry of Calvary Chapel in general—and Calvary Chapel Trussville in particular. Before diving into the movement’s story, they take a step back and talk about why church history itself matters, how it’s often weaponized or misunderstood, and why believers today should care about what God has been doing over the last 2,000 years. From the hippie counterculture of the 1960s to the Jesus Movement and the birth of Calvary Chapel under Pastor Chuck Smith, this episode unpacks how a small church in Costa Mesa became a global movement centered on God’s Word, God’s grace, and the work of the Holy Spirit. In this episode, we cover: 📚 Why Church History Matters (and Common Attitudes Toward It) 🏛️ Learning From the Early Church: Athanasius, Eusebius, the Didache 🔥 The Reformation & Beyond: Luther, Edwards, Wesley, abolitionists, and more 🛡️ How Church History Gets Misused Against Christians Today 🧬 The Roots of Calvary Chapel: Chuck Smith & the Foursquare background 📖 Discovering Verse-by-Verse Teaching & the Centrality of Scripture 🌊 The 1960s Hippie Movement: drugs, anti-war, counterculture, and spiritual hunger 🙏 The Jesus Movement & Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa 🕊️ Grace, Freedom, and the Work of the Holy Spirit in Calvary Chapel 🏷️ Why Calvary Chapel Is Not a Denomination (and what it is instead) The History of Calvary Chapel (Ironworks Podcast #70)

IronWorks Podcast #69 - Interview with Pastor Troy Warner

Pastor Tyler's new book "Firebrand" is available NOW! https://www.ironworks.media/bookstore/p/firebrand Check out IronWorks Media, our Christian resource network! Registration for the IronWorks Bible Conference now open! https://www.ironworks.media/ Give to support the ministry of Calvary Chapel Trussville! https://tithe.ly/give?c=411758 More info on Calvary Chapel Trussville! 👇 https://launcher.nucleus.church/launcher/4a03a22309b4f591def1 Welcome to Episode 69 of the IronWorks Podcast! In this special episode, Pastor Tyler sits down with his dad, Pastor Troy Warner—missionary, church planter, and member of the Calvary Chapel Association Leadership Council—to walk through over 30 years of ministry, church planting, and God’s faithfulness. Pastor Troy shares how the Lord saved him at six years old in a Baptist revival meeting, called him into ministry as a teenager, sent him to Australia as a young missionary, and eventually led him to plant Calvary Chapel Lynchburg in what was already known as “the City of Churches.” They talk honestly about slow growth, discouragement, prophetic promises that seemed delayed, and what it’s like to watch God suddenly fulfill decades-old words. If you’re a pastor, church planter, missionary, or just someone wondering whether God really finishes what He starts, this episode will encourage you to stay faithful and trust the Lord’s timing. In this episode, we cover: 🌱 Early Years, Salvation, and Calling to Ministry 🕍 Growing Up Between Charismatic and Baptist Churches 📖 Discovering Verse‑by‑Verse Teaching at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa ✈️ Missions in Australia: Church Splits, Governance, and Learning by Doing 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 From Vista, CA to Lynchburg, VA: Why Plant in the “City of Churches”? 🏗️ Slow Growth, Discouragement, and Isaiah 54:2 🌾 “You Don’t Know How It Grows”: What Actually Causes Church Growth 🧭 COVID, Church Closures, and Shepherding Through Crisis 🧱 Administration, Leadership, and Scaling Ministry 🏬 Buying a Dead Shopping Center and Watching God Fill It ⛪ Big Churches, Small Churches, and the Myth of the “Right Size” 🌍 Church Planting, Missions, and Raising Up the Next Generation 🔮 Faith, Prophetic Promises, and Waiting on God’s Timing (Habakkuk 2) Interview with Pastor Troy Warner (Ironworks Podcast #69)

IronWorks Podcast #68 - Bible Background: Ezra-Nehemiah

Pastor Tyler's new book "Firebrand" is available NOW! https://www.ironworks.media/bookstore/p/firebrand Check out IronWorks Media, our Christian resource network! https://www.ironworks.media/ Give to support the ministry of Calvary Chapel Trussville! https://tithe.ly/give?c=411758 More info on Calvary Chapel Trussville! 👇 https://launcher.nucleus.church/launcher/4a03a22309b4f591def1 Welcome to Episode 68 of the IronWorks Podcast! Pastor Tyler and Zack start with some exciting updates from Calvary Chapel Trussville—especially the progress on the new church property—and then dive into a big, often touchy topic: church size, church growth, and building projects in a post–“church growth movement” world. From there, they shift into a deep-dive Bible backgrounds segment on the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, unpacking how these books were written, how they fit into Old Testament history, and how the rise of the Persian Empire (and King Cyrus/Kurush) set the stage for Israel’s return from exile. In this episode, we cover: 🌱 Church Life, Buildings, and Growth 📖 Ezra & Nehemiah: How the Books Fit Together 📚 What Is 1 Esdras? (And Is It Scripture?) 🗺️ Where Ezra–Nehemiah Sits in Old Testament History 🦁 The Rise of the Medo-Persian Empire 🏛️ Babylon Falls: History Meets Daniel 5 🔏 Cyrus the Great, the Cyrus Cylinder, and Bible Prophecy 🌍 Life Under Persia: Yehud “Beyond the River” 📌 Resources & Next Steps Bible Background: Ezra-Nehemiah (Ironworks Podcast #68)

IronWorks Podcast #67 - Bible Background: Paul's Missionary Journeys, Part 2

Firebrand is available NOW! https://www.ironworks.media/bookstore/p/firebrand Welcome to Episode 67 of the IronWorks podcast! Pastor Tyler and Zach continue their on-the-ground walkthrough of Paul’s second missionary journey—this time focusing on Corinth and Ephesus. Drawing from Tyler’s recent trip to Greece and Turkey, they connect Acts 18–19 and 1–2 Corinthians to real archaeology, geography, and history: stadiums, temples, markets, libraries, and even the traditional tomb of the apostle John. They also take time up front to talk about why Calvary Chapel emphasizes verse-by-verse, book-by-book Bible teaching, what that actually looks like in practice, and why it’s so transformative for a local church. In this episode, we cover: 📖 Why Verse-by-Verse Teaching Matters 🏛️ Corinth: Port City of Idols and Immorality 🏟️ Sports, Games, and Paul’s Athletic Imagery 🏛️ Ephesus: Empire, Idolatry, and the Power of the Gospel 🕍 From Pagan Temples to Christian Churches 📜 Acts 19 and the Riot in Ephesus 🪦 John’s Tomb and the Long Legacy of the Apostles 🧭 Archaeology, Faith, and Trusting Scripture 📌 Resources & Next Steps Subscribe to the Iron Works Podcast for more insightful discussions and sign up at IronWorks Media to get two FREE e-books and stay updated on upcoming conferences, book launches, and new content. Join us in building the premier Christian resource network for Calvary Chapel and beyond! https://www.ironworksmedia.org/ Click this link for more info on Calvary Chapel Trussville! 👇 https://launcher.nucleus.church/launcher/4a03a22309b4f591def1 Paul's Missionary Journeys, Part 2 (Ironworks Podcast #67) | Pastor Tyler Warner and Zachary Grafman