Iran TV, James B. Jordan, Fight Laugh Feast Conference

A Plethora of Joy for the CREC!

NEED: I think I have reached a record of 13 interviews in 13 days. Between TV and podcasts, I am mentally exhausted. We covered topics related to Iranian persecution to a theology of feasting. I have told many people I never listen to any interview I have recorded for over five minutes. I honestly don’t remember ever listening to an entire interview of mine. Ever.

My excuse is that I don’t have time to revisit what I said because I am always preparing for the next. With that in mind, I do have a particular need to share:

Would any of my Perspectivalist listeners be willing to categorize the 150+ interviews I’ve done?

It would make it easier for me to point folks to the many topics I have covered and point to resources. If you would like to embrace this endeavor, please send me a private message. As an incentive, I’d send you a copy of my latest book and a lifetime subscription to the Perspectivalist.

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Forgive the casual writing style, but reviewing a few of my activities in Texas would be helpful. I remain grateful to those who have specifically committed to pray for me and my travel schedule. I returned last night from Georgia and now have 20 days to rest before my final trip of the year to San Francisco in 2024.

Dustin Messer and James B. Jordan

My trip to Texas was intended for CREC work (October 29th-November 2nd), but I was not expecting my plate to fill up that quickly. My time did not begin with FLF, however. When we landed in Dallas, we headed to meet one of my oldest Kuyperian friends, Dustin Messer. Dustin is the vicar of All Saints Anglican Church in downtown Dallas. We met at a coffee shop and spent about an hour reminiscing and talking about our current projects. I always leave immensely encouraged when I see Dustin. I am 6’1, and Dustin towers over me. This fella is tall in stature and might. Carry on, dear brother!

Afterward, I made plans with Doug Jordan to see his dad, one of my great mentors, James B. Jordan. Jim was his usual self. He remembered me, but his communication ability had become more challenging. He is currently well cared for by his son, and the saints of All Saints (CREC) honor him in every way.

As I have said numerous times and in my last Substack, there is no one like Jim! His influence still reaches a hundred of his pupils and continues in the work of Theopolis and through the writing of a myriad of his disciples.

I also unexpectedly saw my old friend Blake Purcell. Blake is a pioneer in bringing the Reformed faith to Russia. In God’s providence, we happened to stop by Jim’s place simultaneously. Seeing the old Biblical Horizons group gathered again after many years was a joy.

We arrived at our hosts’ home, and shortly after that, I left again to meet my British friend, Steve Jeffery. Steve is a brilliant mind doing remarkable work in Dallas. They have already planted a congregation and are packed every Sunday. I sat with him for an interview. You can listen to it below. Afterward, we stayed and worshipped with the saints for their Wednesday evening service. It had been a long day since my 4 am wake-up at the airport in Pensacola.

Iran Alive Ministries and Fight/Laugh/Feast

The following day was filled with a distant audience from the regular CREC crowd. I had met this rather exquisite group in D.C. some months ago. When I spoke at the NRB event, I met some of the most well-known figures in Christian media. Those two days together provided many opportunities to discuss the CREC and present my work. You can see a re-presentation of my D.C. work recorded for a wider audience. That work was incredibly fruitful in speaking about our denomination to a broader audience. Troy Miller and Noelle Huizenga were delightful hosts and introduced me to some of my old heroes like Dr. Erwin Lutzer. Yet, what was most endearing were the dear saints from Iran Alive Ministries, who quickly reached out to me for an interview once I returned to Pensacola. They were not interested in a podcast interview, but an in-studio interview in McKinney, TX.

The entire thing came to fruition when I traveled to Dallas. I could fly on a Wednesday and drive early Thursday to McKinney to visit their stunning recording studio tucked away, far from the cacophony of Dallas.

My new friend, Shah, gave me a tour of the place, and we sat and talked for some time about the extraordinary work God is doing in Iran, primarily through their Satellite TV. Numbers do not usually blow me away, but these folks reach seven million viewers daily. They are the most-watched TV station in Iran, witnessing remarkable transformation inside the country. The stories of conversions are overwhelmingly moving, and God is using the work of Dr. Hormoz, known as the “Billy Graham of Iran,” to change millions of lives.

We did three separate interviews, and I am told it will be viewed sometime this coming week. While I am not sure of a way to subscribe to Iranian Television, I will ask if they are willing to send some clips from the interview so I can send them to my Perspectivalist subscribers.

Those interviews and the long drive consumed about six hours of my day, but I needed to return for the Fight/Laugh/Feast opening Beer & Psalms. The whole thing was a blast! Gabe Rench is a marketing connoisseur, and his casual approach to life gives him the perfect persona for the evening. Putting an event of that magnitude is remarkable and Gabe did exceptional.

Aaron Snell has become one of my favorite chief musicians. He sings beautifully and carefully and draws people into the harmonies. The result was a solid hour of singing and learning. I suspect half of that crowd was not used to singing in harmonies or singing some of the pieces, but Aaron did a fabulous job indoctrinating these new folks.

The lectures were phenomenal. Toby Sumpter’s first talk on what it means to be a good patriot was stellar, and I hope those are made available soon. George Grant, Douglas Wilson, Steve Deace, and others offered a robust look into the future. There were pastoral concerns coupled with bold exhortations. These talks happened before the election and are now even more salient.

Above all, my hope was to get the CREC world to the 1,500+ members. And I didn’t really know what I was asking for. It was such a delight to meet dozens of family members who had benefited from my labors and who expressed enormous gratitude for the work of the CREC in their lives.

I will not remember most of the people I met, but I will not forget the kindness and bond created by those few minutes. Conferences like these reassure me that people are hungry for solid communities and theological conviction. I am so pleased to play a small part.

I also had the joy of seeing old friends. Keith Foskey, my fellow Floridian, is always a delight to see. He is a fabulous co-laborer and I love to see his work receiving attention.

It was also a joy to see an old acquaintance of mine, Steve Deace. I interviewed Steve over 14 years ago before he received national attention. He is now one of the most insightful political commentators in our country. If you don’t have him on your list, please do so. You will not be disappointed by his sharp and witty analysis.

I was beyond grateful for Gabe’s invitation to address the 1,500+ attendees with a few minutes to discuss the CREC. It is evident from my short talk that there was a vast familiarity with the CREC and an intrigue surrounding our work. For many, it was the first time they heard my name or at least made leadership associations. Those few minutes resulted in over 50 conversations in the following hours. I tried to answer as many questions as possible or direct people to the right place. It was a delight to hear inquiries about our seminaries, local internships, doctrines, liturgy, and future questions about moving to one of our churches in the U.S.

Additionally, I had the privilege of saying a few words about my work in the CREC at the pastor’s luncheon. It was a rewarding occasion, and I am grateful for the many faces I encountered seeking to transform their worlds for the glory of Christ.

I returned late Saturday to Pensacola, giving me a good night’s sleep before All Saints Sunday at Providence. Here is my sermon:

A couple of days later, I embarked on a plane to Moscow. But that will have to wait until Friday.

Pentecost Cheers,

Uriesou T. Brito

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