Eutychus Forum: Ben Patterson Interview

My pastors during my college years, Reed & Steve Jolley of Santa Barbara Community Church, have launched a new interview series, Eutychus Forum. The format is modeled after Mark Dever's 9marks interviews. So far my favorite interview is with Ben Patterson, campus pastor of Westmont College (my alma mater). This is a must-listen-to interview, especially rich and motivating on the topic of Scripture memorization and prayer.Click the link above or download: Eutychus: Ben Patterson

Eutychus Forumis a ministry of SBCC and is devoted to keeping the church awake in the21st century.  We believe that the church is God’s primary instrumentby which he displays his glory in the world. Accordingly, our focusneeds to be sharpened continually while our conviction needs to growincreasingly more resolute.Why Eutychus (U-ti-chus)?  Eutychus is not a skin disease, or amiddle-eastern appetizer.  Eutychus is a young man mentioned in thebook of Acts.  And why do we remember him?  Simply put, he had themisfortune to fall asleep on one of the greatest preachers in history!And others have been asleep in the church ever since…A quick look at Acts 20:7-16 has provided great comfort to preachersfor two millennia.  The apostle Paul (Paul!!!) was preaching oneevening in the town of Troas.  The author of Acts is kind to Paulnoting only that Paul prolonged his speech until midnight.  This is theinspired text’s way of saying, Paul got a bit carried away, forgot his“1001 Spiffy Illustrations Manual” and put everyone to sleep. Eutychus,however, a young man, slept.  He really slept.  So much so that he fellout of the third story window in which he was sitting and died from thefall!  Preachers have been comforted ever since.  “If they fell asleepon Paul…well, perhaps my sermons aren’t so bad after all…”Eutychus Forum is meantto stimulate pastors, preachers and sleepy disciples by inviting themto participate in conversations with Christian leaders, pastors andscholars who will, if we can stay awake, sharpen our focus as weattempt to glorify God in our lives and in the church.  We invite youto listen in and join the conversation.