We are privileged to have Dr. James Strasburg as our guest to help explore a compelling facet of American history: the profound influence of theological perspectives concerning the "end times" or "eschatology." Our discussion commences with a historical overview of the theological landscape. During America's nascent years, the prevailing theological outlook was one of postmillennialism, characterized by an optimism regarding the widespread propagation of Christianity throughout the nation. This ...
Oct 10, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Mike Glodo of Reformed Theological Seminary, Orlando joins us to discuss his new book The Lord Bless You and Keep You: The Promise of the Gospel in the Aaronic Blessing. We discuss the role of the benediction in the church service and how it assures God’s people of his love for them. The Aaronic blessing also contains within it a rich biblical theology of “faces” and how our eternal hope rests in seeing Christ face to face. Mike provides helpful insights from decades of pastoral ministry about h...
Oct 03, 2023•57 min
Our special guest, Dr. Guy Waters, a distinguished theologian and professor at Reformed Theological Seminary, brings his deep insights and extensive knowledge to the subject of death. Dr. Waters is a widely respected figure in the world of Reformed theology, known for his thoughtful and compassionate approach to complex spiritual matters. In this podcast episode, we delve into the profound topic of "Facing the Fear of Death" and explore how Christians confront this universal fear with unwavering...
Sep 26, 2023•51 min
Rev. Michael Petty of St. Peter's Anglican church joins us for an informative podcast on spiritual formation. We discuss a variety of topics from developing a life of prayer, reading Scripture in community, engaging Christians with their spiritual gifts, and the causes and cures for pastoral burnout. Michael also shares personal anecdotes of the ways in which spiritual disciplines of prayer, Scripture reading, and fellowship formed him at key moments in his life. If you feel "stuck" in your spir...
Sep 19, 2023•59 min
In this episode of That'll Preach we take an intriguing journey into the heart of biblical scholarship to scrutinize the reliability of the Old Testament. Join us as we engage in a captivating conversation with distinguished Old Testament scholar, Professor Peter Lee, from RTS (Reformed Theological Seminary). We delve deep into the questions that have sparked both curiosity and debate for centuries: "Can We Trust the Old Testament?" Professor Lee brings his extensive expertise to the forefront, ...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Pastor Les Newsom of Christ Presbyterian Church in Oxford, Mississippi joins us to talk about the importance of preaching in the formation of Christians in the church. He goes into the way he thinks through connecting the Bible with the congregation though imagination and rhetoric. He also speaks to the need for preaching in the midst of an increasingly hostile world towards Christianity. This episode is for anyone who wants to grow in their preaching and challenge themselves to be better exeget...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Welcome to another episode of "That'll Preach"! In this thought-provoking installment, we dive into a topic that has ignited centuries of debate and reflection: "Has the Church Replaced Israel?" Join us as we explore the historical and theological dimensions of this complex issue, shedding light on its significance within Christianity. Dr. McDermott, a renowned theologian, offers his profound insights into the intricate relationship between the Church and Israel. Our conversation begins by traci...
Aug 29, 2023•1 hr 8 min
On this episode of That'll Preach we will hear from Dr. Greg Allison of Southern Seminary on the differences between Roman Catholic and Protestant approaches to Scripture, authority, and tradition. Allison argues that Catholicism's "three stools" of Scripture, tradition, and the Magisterium stand at odds with the classic Protestant vision of Sola Scriptura. He also busts myths about the unity of the Catholic church as well as friendly challenges to Evangelicals looking to cross the Tiber to Rome...
Aug 15, 2023•54 min
We wrap up our series on Chesterton's classic Orthodoxy by exploring the common arguments against Christianity. Chesterton does not argue from a standard apologetics approach, but instead utilizes common sense to show how our faith in Christianity rests not upon one "slam dunk" argument, but rather the accumulation of a thousand little pieces of evidences. He also challenges common agnostic/atheistic assumptions that men exist as nothing more than animals, religions comes from dark and ignorant ...
Aug 08, 2023•43 min
In this episode we look at Chesterton's profound exploration of the essence and allure of orthodox Christian beliefs. He celebrates the paradoxical nature of truth, highlighting how orthodox Christianity, with all its enchanting mysteries, brings a fresh vitality to the world. Chesterton argues that while modernity may be filled with wild and wasted virtues, true orthodoxy unites the material and the spiritual, offering a complete and coherent worldview. The author unveils the enchanting beauty ...
Jul 25, 2023•36 min
Our series in Orthodoxy continues as we look at Chesterton's interesting perspective on wealthy people, the aristocracy, and placing too much trust in the government. He also points out the fundamental flawed assumption of progressivism: that things left to themselves will progress rather than decay. "Open-mindedness" does not automatically lead to "progress" and neither does revolution lead to better outcomes. He expresses a great deal of distrust for government and extols democracy as the best...
Jul 18, 2023•31 min
Dr. Michael Lynch of the Davenant Institute joins us to discuss the controversial topic of the atonement. Theologians throughout church history have debated over the nature and extent of Jesus's death on the cross. Did God unjustly punish an innocent man? Did Jesus's death make forgiveness of sins actual or merely possible? How do we understand theological words like "imputation" and "penal substitution?" Dr. Lynch helps us navigate these treacherous waters with precision and clarity by mining t...
Jul 11, 2023•1 hr 1 min
We continue our series in Chesterton's classic Orthodoxy by looking at his famous chapter on the paradox of Christianity. Chesterton writes about how the strangeness of Christianity bolsters its credibility as truth. We should not expect divine revelation to make complete sense to our minds. He also points out that the hostility of the modern world towards Christianity reveals its compelling power. People are fine with a universal religion so long as it is not Christianity. Christianity challeng...
Jun 27, 2023•52 min
Bryan and Paul discuss chapter five of G.K. Chesterton's Orthodoxy entitled "The Flag of the World". In this chapter, Chesterton explains why we must love a place before we critique it and the freedom that God gives to mankind. He takes shots at naturalism and so-called "progress" by helping us understand how Christianity revolutionized the world. He also digs into the paradox that true love for the world requires a particular hatred for it and a desire to see its redemption. "The point is not t...
Jun 20, 2023•38 min
Dr. Jonathan Pennington of Southern Seminary (SBTS) joins us to talk about his new book Come and See: The Journey of Knowing God Through Scripture. We talk about three ways of reading Scripture well: informationally, theologically, and transformationally. Each of these stages challenges us to grow in our understanding of the word of God in practical and tangible ways. We read informationally by using our cognitive faculties to grasp content or information in Scripture. We read theologically when...
Jun 13, 2023•51 min
We’re back in Chesterton’s Orthodoxy looking at his take on how fairy tales inform our virtues and teach us about joy. Our modern craving for novelty reveals a weakness rather than a strength for God continues to do the same things over and over again, but finds joy in them. Children find joy in repetition because they do not lose their wonder for the world through cynicism. We also look at how democracy relies on tradition to give former generations a “vote” in how we live our lives. A failure ...
Jun 06, 2023•48 min
We continue our discussion of G.K. Chesterton's book Orthodoxy with his third chapter on how modernity's abandonment of Christianity not only lets vices go wild, but also virtues. We also discuss how Chesterton identifies modern false humility that remains skeptical about everything except its own skepticism. Here are some solid quotes from chapter three: "The modern world is full of the old Christian virtues gone mad. The virtues have gone mad because they have been isolated from each other and...
May 24, 2023•51 min
Ryan Hurd from the Davenant Institute joins us to talk about the "spiritual" and "literal" readings of Scripture. Evangelicals often misunderstand the "literal" sense as referring only to the historicity of the Bible. But the church throughout the ages understood the literal sense in terms of the "letters" of the text in addition to its historicity. The "literal" and "spiritual" readings do not oppose one another, but work together as a cohesive unit in order to deepen our understanding of God t...
May 16, 2023•1 hr 3 min
This is the second part of our interview with Dr. Matt Colvin. Many speculate that the Apostle Paul, as a faithful Pharisee, likely married at a young age, but lived a life of celibacy after his conversion. Some believe Paul to be a widow, but others see him as a man abandoned by an unbelieving wife after his conversion. Matt Colvin takes us through 1 Corinthians 7 with a mind toward Paul's Jewish worldview in order to establish a compelling vision of marriage, divorce, and the meaning of conver...
May 09, 2023•44 min
This is the first part of a two-part interview with Dr. Matt Colvin who joins us again to provide a provocative perspective on 1 Corinthians 7 and its application to Paul's life. Drawing upon the work of scholar David Daube, Colvin argues that Paul likely experienced abandonment from his wife which dissolved their marriage and led to his teaching in 1 Corinthians 7. Along the way we discuss how Daube's perspective reframes the debate over the permissibility of divorce and remarriage. Don't miss ...
May 02, 2023•59 min
We continue our series through G.K. Chesterton's classic work Orthodoxy by looking at the similarities between atheists, liberal Christians, and lunatics. Here are some zingers from Chesterton himself: "The men who really believe in themselves are all in lunatic asylums.” "Imagination does not breed insanity. Exactly what does breed insanity is reason. Poets do not go mad; but chess-players do. Mathematicians go mad, and cashiers; but creative artists very seldom." "The poet only desires exaltat...
Apr 26, 2023•34 min
We begin a new series on G.K. Chesterton's classic book "Orthodoxy" which features a series of essays by the controversial author about faith, tradition, and the modern world. Chesterton's prose and wit allowed him to entertain while also provoke skeptics of the faith in an unparalleled way. His influence on writes such as C.S. Lewis demonstrates the effectiveness of his logic and style with commentary on society that seems prophetic in the modern day. He did not pull any punches, yet remains on...
Apr 18, 2023•45 min
Rev. David Pileggi joins us to talk about his ministry in Christ Church Jerusalem and the unique challenges Christians face ministering in the holy land. He also talks about how the Jewish roots of Sabbath unlock the meaning of rest and the importance not only of holy people, but holy time.
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 14 min
The New York Times recently posted an online tool that allows users to create their own university rankings based on customized criteria. Students can rank schools based upon metrics like party scene, income level, racial diversity, and athletics. These metrics reveal a lot about how the purpose of education has changed over the decades. A university education used to be a way for people to grow in their moral and spiritual formation in order to become good citizens of a nation. Now universities...
Apr 04, 2023•45 min
A.I. is all the rage with ChatGPT and Bing's new artificial intelligence making the waves on campuses and in the wider culture. A.I. opens up new possibilities and exciting applications, but also comes with a set of ethical questions. How do we know what A.I. learns? In what sense does A.I. "understand" morality and what unforeseen consequences arise from that? Bryan and Paul discuss concerning aspects of A.I. and whether Christians should embrace the rapid acceleration of development. We also d...
Mar 28, 2023•35 min
Dr. Warren Gage joins us to discuss one of the most mysterious and complex books in the Bible -- Revelation. We discuss the Old Testament narratives behind the book and how they unlock Revelation's visions and symbols in surprising ways. Jesus comes as the new Joshua summoning his holy army, the church, to bring down the new Jericho of Babylon who carries a Rahab-like whore. But the identity of the whore shocks the Apostle John -- it is Jerusalem herself twisted by her sin and rejection of Chris...
Mar 21, 2023•1 hr 19 min
Death scares most of us. We do not enjoy thinking about the fragility of our existence nor the vulnerability of mortality. Billionaires like Jeff Bezos now invest their fortunes into experimental treatments and technologies in order to maximize their "health spans" and ensure longevity. Modern technology stands on the cusp of healing DNA and maximizing healthy lifespans beyond what was previously thought possible. How should Christians react to such this rapidly developing new technology? What e...
Mar 14, 2023•44 min
Modern Christians lack clarity on the fundamental doctrine of their faith: the Trinity. But why is this the case? Dr. Scott Swain suggests the problem lies in the desire for a Christ who fulfills our expectations. We want Jesus to give a solution to the practical problems in out lives. The doctrine of the Trinity seems abstract and detached from our marriages, careers, and mental health. But what if the doctrine of the Trinity exceeds our expectations? What if we desire too little? Getting the T...
Mar 07, 2023•54 min
Joe Minich joins us again to talk about the nature of work and how Christianity gives meaning to the mundane. Show Notes "Protestant Social Teaching" by the Davenant Institute
Feb 14, 2023•48 min
Bryan and Paul talk about why feminists, "Me Too" advocates, and secularists should reject hook-up culture. Also, Paul plans to create a cult.
Feb 07, 2023•38 min
