Podcasts
- Heidelberg Catechism: A collection of studies of the Heidelberg Catechism from start to finish.
- Worldviews | Evangelism | Counseling: If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and the Devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefield besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point. —Martin Luther
Training Our Minds to think God’s thoughts after Him
In April of 2021, the new Heidelberg Catechism class began for both young and old (8th grade–adult). The teaching was shared between Pastor Paul, Pastor Ben Bessett, and Brandt Barnard. In this interactive study of God’s Word and our faith in God, each teacher brought a fresh teaching focused on the fundamentals of the Christian faith. At some point during the course of this class, Pastor Ben Bessett, Director of Outreach and Pastoral Care at Seventh, took over the remaining Lord’s Day teachings. Fellow member Connie Sikma wrote in the Voice about Ben’s teaching of catechism:
We were all very comfortable studying our catechism, which most of us learned as babes in arms, and so we came to class confident to rattle off the answers and ask provoking questions with which we had tortured our less experienced teachers with in our teen years. Ben, however, managed to out maneuver and answer our most hairsplitting questions.
We can all say, from young to old, we learned much from Pastor Ben Bessett!
Following the Heidelberg Catechism class, Pastor Ben began the Worldviews | Evangelism | Counseling class. He began with the subject “Worldviews.” Connie shared about this new direction:
But now, Ben has decided we need to step it up and get equipped for the real world. No more news spectating, it’s time we get in the ring to engage the culture. While we have been debating questions and learning answers from the 16th century context (Heidelberg Catechism), the generation of today has been deconstructing at such rampant rates even the most astute analyst (Barna or Pew research groups) have been taken by surprise. Most of us know or are related to people who have audaciously turned their back on the values of the faith of our fathers for one reason or another. Most of us know people who embrace the New Age, Buddhism, or Atheism in some form. Yet, many of us have no idea where to start a conversation much less invite them into a transformative relationship with the personal infinite triune God of the universe. Enter Ben Bessett to help us.
Both the Heidelberg Catechism lessons and the Worldview | Evangelism | Counseling lessons are available on Seventh’s website, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. As of this posting, the W.E.C. class is ongoing. Want to join us in person? Sunday School follows our 9:45 a.m. worship service.
Ben Bessett grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin, where he came to saving faith in Jesus Christ at the age of eight. He has been happily married to his wife, Jeannette for 16 years, and loves his dog, Samson. They were involved with Shepherds Care Nursing Home Ministry for several years. Ben has also worked as a jail chaplain at the Outagamie County Jail and also a hospital chaplain at St. Elizabeth Hospital. Ben is a graduate of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, Grand Rapids, Michigan. Ben has been Director of Outreach and Pastoral Care since May of 2021.