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Hosts Luke Stehr and Dr. Dennis R. Wiles welcome missionary Sarah Pursley to discuss Ephesians chapter 5 and explore how believers discern convictions that go beyond explicit biblical commands.

Drawing from Dr. Wiles' sermon on the Holy Spirit, they examine why Baptists historically took stances on alcohol, tobacco, and dancing—practices without direct biblical prohibition. The conversation explores how cultural context shapes these decisions, using First Baptist Arlington's 1991 vote on deacon standards as a case study.

Sarah shares valuable perspective from her eight years in Slovenia, where church attitudes toward alcohol differ dramatically from American Baptist traditions. This leads to broader discussion about navigating cultural differences while maintaining biblical witness.

A key theme: the difference between baptism of the Holy Spirit (one-time) and being filled with the Spirit (ongoing discipline). Dr. Wiles reflects on his journey from a purely intellectual faith approach toward greater openness to the Spirit's leading.

The episode concludes with hopeful reflection on the current state of the Church—noting decreased denominational polarization and renewed spiritual hunger among younger generations.