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The Laymens Lounge99. Joustra: A Kuyperian Calvinism for a Secular Age“Humanity is no aimless mass of people which only serves the purpose of giving birth to the elect. On the contrary, the world now, as well as in the beginning, is the theater for the mighty works of God, and humanity remains a creation of His hand, which, apart from salvation, completes under this present dispensation, here on earth, a mighty process, and in its historical development is to glorify the name of Almighty God.” --- Abraham Kuyper “Abraham Kuyper loved Calvinism. We might even characterize his passion for Calvinism as unusual; most Calvinists today try to appear...2022-01-281h 00

The Laymens Lounge98. Jonathan Gibson: Is True “Spirituality” Known or Experienced?Means, Ends & Expectations of Personal Devotion What should my “quiet time” consist of? What should be taking place – increased knowledge? felt experience? And, either way, what are the appointed means? Are “quiet times” even a biblical concept? What did the people of God do before the printing press? Join us as we sit down with Jonathan Gibson, author of “Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship” (Crossway), and discuss the most illusive facts of the enshrined “quiet time.” 2022-01-2535 min

The Laymens Lounge97. Steve Garber: The Core Longings of the Human HeartSatiated with Kuyper as Mystics or the with Kuyper as Cerebral Theologians and Worldviewers? Join us we sit down with Steven Garber and identify and discuss the core longings of the human heart – especially those of the Christian. We ask questions like “how can Christian’s experience God?” - “Is Abraham Kuyper’s mysticism unachievable?” - “What values is there in merely reading about God and Theology?” - “What should the Christian life consist of?” – and more…2022-01-1847 min

The Laymens Lounge96. George Harinck: The State of Neo-Calvinisim in the Netherlands and AbroadThe Rise, Demise, and Global Resurgence of Abraham Kuyper Listen in as we sit down with the treasurer of the heritage of neo-Calvinism himself: Dr. George Harinck. In this episode we survey the spread and implications Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck thoughts and teachings. This interview is kicking off a series that will run the next few months at TheLaymensLounge.com called "The State of Neo-Calvinism." Come back each week to read about the state and influence of neo-Calvinisim in nations ranging from Mexico and the Philippines to Wales and Egypt.2022-01-031h 00

The Laymens Lounge95. Myk Habets: The Joy of a Trinitarian ChristmasNaming the presence of God in our midst “God with us.” God with us? “YHWH with us” (But isn’t that the first person of the Trinity?)? Jesus left, but he leaves the Spirit? And that’s better how? Join us as we sit down with Myk Habets to nuance the points of contact, the roles of, and the relations of the Trinity in our life as well as praying in a Trinitarian way.2021-12-161h 10

The Laymens Lounge94. Chad Bird: When the Old Testament Sprouts Wings & It All Starts to Make SenseGettin’ stoked on metaphor, allusion, & foreshadowing Chad Bird is in the business of turning on lights. If you crack open one of his books, or listen to his podcasts, don’t’ be surprised if one of his hands comes out of the book and flips the switch on your Old Testament understanding. Most of us see the Old Testament like a pepper-sprayed collection of curiosities and divinely bizzarro truth and most of my life has been riding shotgun with the Ethiopian Eunuch saying with him “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And then your boy Chad the “Phill...2021-12-1351 min

The Laymens Lounge93. Tom Schreiner: A Christmas Survey of Matthew 1:1-25Genealogy, “14 Generations,” the "Son of David," the “Christ," the Exile We had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Tom Schreiner to discuss the first chapter of Matthew – asking how best to make sense of it all and have our calloused hearts hear the story afresh. Join us as we take a Christmas stroll through advent portions of Matthew with the sweetheart of sweethearts the good Dr. Tom Schreiner.2021-12-1041 min

The Laymens Lounge92. Gary Colledge: Who was Charles Dickens?Everybody loves Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” (well, at least the movies), but who was this man? Was he best friends with Hudson Taylor and annoyed with Charles Spurgeon? Was he an ideal husband or a bit of a playboy? Did he leave his children to their own devices, or did he pen an entire book solely for their edification and growth in Christ? Listen in as we are joined with Charles Dickens go-to scholar, and author of "God and Charles Dickens: Recovering the Christian Voice of a Classic Author,” Dr. Gary L. Colledge and discuss all things Dickens.2021-12-0249 min

The Laymens Lounge91. James Houston: 99 Years of Insight on Spiritual FormationA Hospitable Bed Interview on Spiritual Formation with Jim Houston “I came here to die.” Speaking from Hospice that is what Christian pillar James Houston, who is 99 years old, told me on our chat today – yet he is still writing and still offering wisdom to weary souls (read his "Letters From A Hospital Bed: Reflections From a 99 Year Old" here) and offers a lifetime of insight in these 45 minutes. In this interview with Dr. Houston, I had the great honor to glean wisdom on everything from spiritual health and cultivation (“We need to ask God to allow us to dr...2021-11-2935 min

The Laymens Lounge90. Michael Cooper: Is Church Planting Biblical?Questions about what we have assumed A few weeks ago, I happened upon a 2-part article series by Michael Cooper called “Ephesiology and the Critique of Church Planting Movements” and “Is Church Planting a Biblical Mandate?” and so, I’m not a deconstructionist, but I do appreciate a good questioning of what has been assumed. Listen in as we sit down with Dr. Cooper and discuss Paul’s model of making disciples, and all the rage that is “the church planting movement.”2021-11-2348 min

The Laymens Lounge89. Thomas Kidd: Literally the Best Thanksgiving & Pilgrim Interview EverGetting the Big Picture of the Pilgrims. Fact vs Fiction. Pilgrim Theological Emphasis. Theonomy Applied. Etc. Thomas Kidd just showed me that I really am a product of the California public school system as he separates pilgrim, Mayflower, and Thanksgiving fact from fiction. It’s not just that he corrects snippets of legend-as-history, but he fills out the pilgrim experiment and gives us the big picture and goals of these "separatists." Not just "why did they leave England?" - but what did they do when they got here? What happened to them after 10, 20, 100 years of being here? Ju...2021-11-1555 min

The Laymens Lounge88. A History & Theology of Contemporary WorshipLim Swee Hong and Lester Ruth “God inhabits the praises of His people” Psalm 22:3. With this verse as the Theological lynchpin, a new way of worshipping God took root, and continues to this day. New forms of worship have transformed the face of the American church over the past fifty years. Drawing on a wide range of primary sources, including interviews with dozens of important stakeholders and key players, this volume by two worship experts, Lim Swee Hong and Lester Ruth, offer the first comprehensive history of Contemporary Praise & Worship. The authors provide insight into wher...2021-11-121h 13

The Laymens Lounge87. Collin Hansen: 15 Years After Young, Restless and Reformed... Where Are They Now?15 years ago Collin Hansen identified a movement; “Young, Restless and Reformed.” John Piper, Mark Driscoll, John MacArthur were all pillars. With a heavy emphasis on a Calvinist soteriology, many of them, mostly from the Baptistic tradition, were pleased to cultivate a little bit of rootedness in the 2006 world of relativism and “you do you.” But, its been a long 15 years and now these guys have grown up. Some are now pastors, some are apostate and “deconstructed”, and no small amount have taken their own lives. There was no agreed upon natural progression of "what’s next?" and we haven't seen a cohesiv...2021-11-0433 min

The Laymens Lounge86. Pierce Hibbs: Gratitude Isn’t just for Hippie Girls with Hairy Armpits Weeping over the Ocean, Rainbows and Organic Granola BarsA Trinitarian Theolog of Gratitude and Giving “We swim in gifts, in things given freely by God… But you don’t feel this very often though, do you? Neither do I. The greatest irony of being alive is that we treat gifts as possessions, generosity as commonplace, grace as summer grass-something to be stepped on and forgotten with every lifting muscle… We unwrap so many gifts every moment that we forget it’s Christmas morning, that God is watching every spark of joy, and every shrug of the shoulders.” – Pierce Taylor Hibbs from “The Book of Giving: How t...2021-11-031h 02

The Laymens Lounge85. Benji Magness: Christians, the Twilight Zone, Punk Rock and Creepy Cultural GoodsJoin us as we sit down with Pastor Benji Magness and discuss the life of the believer and the enjoyment (or rejection?) of Rod Serling and The Twilight Zone, creepy stuff and horror films, punk rock and burning your CDs at church camp. 2021-10-2646 min

The Laymens Lounge84. Sandra Richter: Hermeneutics, Meredith Kline and IsaiahDr. Sandra Richter speaks all manner of ancient languages, has a doctorate from Harvard, is a professor, an archeologist, a leading voice in academic theological/historical/hermeneutical discussions, and she wants to help normal Christians read and understand the Old Testament. Dr. Richter is the author of the heavily circulated book “The Epic of Eden: A Christian Entry into the Old Testament”, it really is the go-to book for getting the big picture of the Old Testament and informs our New Testament reading as well. 2021-10-1144 min

The Laymens Lounge83. Matthew Barrett: The Eternal Relations of Origin in the TrinityFather as “Not Begotten” – Son as “Begotten” – Spirit as “Spirated” Join us as we sit down with the Trinity powerhouse Dr. Matthew Barrett author of “Simply Trinity: The Unmanipulated Father, Son, and Spirit” (Baker). Dr. Barrett has done the heavy lifting for us in reviewing the last 2,000 years of making sense of the Trinity and how it functions, while also dealing with some of the whack and novel ideas that have risen the last hundred years (especially the last 20 years).2021-09-2747 min

The Laymens Lounge82. Byron Borger: To Be A Christian Everything“I’ve found Borger’s vocation to be more similar to a pharmacist than a bookseller. People come to Hearts and Minds [Bookstore] with one deficiency or another. After some listening, Borger prescribes just the right supplement of Al Wolters or Richard Middleton or an obscure gem hidden in a tacky dust jacket… Byron is the Michael Jordan of synthesizing ideas. Each ["BookNotes”] post is rife with connections: connections between art and faith, between politics and science, between gardening and prayer. Byron is a true interdisciplinarian, a renascence man if ever there was one.” - Dustin Messer “Somewhere in c...2021-09-211h 08

The Laymens Lounge81. Gene Veith: Johnny Cash, Martin Luther & JesusIn part 2 of our interview with Lutheran/Country Music/Vocation powerhouse, Dr. Gene Veith (part 1 is here), author of “The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals” (Concordia Publishing House), we chat country-music Christians (did you know Lyle Lovett and Kris Kristofferson are Lutherans?! Did you know Loretta Lynn’s had a home, now abandoned, in Hawaii a few miles from my house?!) – what do we do with polarizing Christians like Hank Williams and Johnny Cash (are they “baby Christians”? Are they even Christians? Should we even ask this question?)? We also chat “closet Lutherans”, 1 John as it pertains t...2021-09-1652 min

The Laymens Lounge80. Fred Sanders: Father, Son & Spirit Does it Matter?Attempting to Apply a Mystery to Daily Life Join us as we sit down with Trinity-nuance master Fred Sanders and bombard him with questions on all things Father, Son and Spirit. Dr. Sanders is the author/editor of “The Third Person of the Trinity Explorations in Constructive Dogmatics”, the modern classic “The Deep Things of God: How the Trinity Changes Everything” and just released “Fountain of Salvation: Trinity and Soteriology”2021-09-081h 01

The Laymens Lounge79. Eve Tibbs: A Primer on Eastern Orthodoxy“Eastern Orthodoxy is perceived as an exotic and picturesque remnant from an alien past” -Bartholomew I (the 270th and current archbishop of Constantinople) “It is the stability of thought in Orthodox theology that has generated the greatest interest from my Protestant students, primarily because of their often-new realization that there still exists a “predenominational” and Apostolic Christian worldview that is largely unaffected by the polemical debates of the Reformation. In fact, many of the doctrines and dogmas of Eastern Orthodoxy can certainly be embraced by those outside the Orthodox Church, such as its trinitarian theology and its co...2021-08-311h 02

The Laymens Lounge78. John Bolt: Herman Bavinck’s Ethics & the Motivation for Good WorksFuel for Ethics from WWJD? Fake it ‘til You Make it? “Kingdom”? Gratitude? Imitation? or Creation? “As Bavinck works out the concrete content of his ethics in this volume (Reformed Ethics Volume 2), he joins the long tradition of Reformed ethicists and turns to the Decalogue and the notion of duty. That move could be disconcerting for some who have recently turned to the “kingdom ethics” of union with and imitation of Christ because that emphasis is seen as a counter to the role of law and duty in Christian living.” – John Bolt Listen in as we sit down with...2021-08-231h 07

The Laymens Lounge77. Matthew Kaemingk: Reformed Public TheologyA glimpse into “Holy Worldliness” across the globe “Through the making of culture, as opposed to simply criticizing it, Christian architects, entrepreneurs, farmers, and city planners offer their neighbors new ways of living and being in the public square.” “The flourishing of one individual requires the flourishing of schools and families, courts and businesses, artist guilds and sports teams, newspapers and unions, churches and sewer systems. Public theologians therefore refuse to narrow their theological conception of flourishing to just the political, the economic, the spiritual, or the aesthetic. Instead, they aim to further the manifold flourishin...2021-08-1946 min

The Laymens Lounge76. Jon Tyson: The Intentional FatherA Practical Guide to Raise Sons of Consequence "We need to have a vision of the day our sons will leave our homes and work backward from that day with a plan to help them gain the knowledge, skills, character, and experiences they need. This will enable them to move into the world as confident and healthy men. That’s when the questions will start pouring into your mind. What have I given him? What wisdom, what love, what lessons is he carrying into the world? What brokenness is he bearing? What is my legacy to him?"...2021-08-1752 min

The Laymens Lounge75. Gene Veith: The Lutheran Option (Part 1)Listen in, because the Gospel is not just “true”, but it is actually truly wonderfully good news – and not just in theory but in lived-reality. Dr. Gene Veith, author of “The Spirituality of the Cross: The Way of the First Evangelicals” (Concordia Publishing House), serves us up what the ingredients for true joy and true rest in Christ and his finished work.2021-08-1143 min

The Laymens Lounge74. J. Richard Middleton: What Should Image Bearers be Doing?“You don’t use your job as an excuse to evangelize, but you treat people as full human beings – and part of being a human being is you have spirituality, and they may not even be a Christian, but they are still a spiritual person, and they have spiritual needs." - J. Richard Middleton "The proper way to exercise dromion is through love and generosity and in a world of evil that will inevitably involve suffering. That’s what happened with Jesus – He is manifesting what it means to be human” - J. Richard Middleton Listen in as...2021-08-0355 min

The Laymens Lounge73. Courtney Reissig: A Theology of Being A Stay at Home MomChrist infuses purpose into every facet of the ordinary. Folding laundry. Weeding the garden. Cooking dinner. Changing diapers. Work in the home can seem so ordinary. Does any of it matter? Is there meaning in our most mundane moments at home? When the work of the home fills our days, it is easy to get disillusioned and miss God’s grand purpose for our work. As image bearers of the Creator who made us to work, we contribute to society, bringing order out of chaos and loving God through loving others—meaning there’s glory in every moment...2021-07-2836 min

The Laymens Lounge72. Makoto Fujimura: A Theology of Making - Created to CreateBefore the Fall, we were all artists and poets “Can our churches be beautiful again, and not just promote goodness and truth?... It’s one thing to make our work, our business, our arts and our political endeavors good and even ‘successful.’ It’s another to aspire to make them beautiful. It’s one thing to try educate and raise our children to be good and ‘successful,’ but it’s another to try to raise them to be beautiful.” Listen in as we sit down with Makoto Fujimura, author of, “Art + Faith: A Theology of Making” and discuss th...2021-07-2157 min

The Laymens Lounge71. Winn Collier: Eugene Peterson for the Butcher, Baker & Befuddled Cement Layers“The Bible became alive to Him, it was not as some Elizabethan artifact but as a living book, appropriate for the gritty lives of butchers, cement layers, radio-preaching mothers, and the drunks who lounged in the alley behind his father’s Butcher shop. People around the world were picking up books with his name on it--picking them up and sensing they’d found a voice that spoke their language. Vast numbers of readers recognized in Eugene’s words a hunger they’d forgotten, a craving for an authentic encounter with God. They were hungry for a vision calling th...2021-06-2852 min

The Laymens Lounge70. Bruce Pass: Herman Bavinck’s Theology as a Living BeingListen in as we sit down with Dr. Bruce Pass and discuss his book “The Heart of Dogmatics: Christology and Christocentrism in Herman Bavinck”. Here we are guided by the hand of Bavinck and Dr. Pass into a Theology that is no mere academic hobby but where Theology is a living-being animated by true religion. Like a heart this living-being pumps blood and life to the needed areas in the body. Dr. Pass shows us how Bavinck’s though that, much like the Universe is the center of the solar “system”, Christ is the center of the Christian theological system.2021-06-2550 min

The Laymens Lounge69. Mark Roques: Cheeky Stories as Evangelism, Cultural Critique & A Compelling Challenge to Idolatry“I immediately saw that neither pious homilies or straightforward religious education were cutting it. Instead, I brought in albums, video and newspaper clips. By exploring the stories behind pop music, entertainment and sports reporting with them I was able to unpack the underlying worldview. Not only does this approach work, it works without any complaints of preaching or indoctrination. Vital in today’s pluralist society. Stories are disarming!... We’ve used the same approach to name and shame the individualistic and materialist belief system that mugs so many today.” – Mark Roques 2021-06-161h 06

The Laymens Lounge68. Matt Merker: Is Worship an Experience of Transaction?“Our weary hearts long to hear the gospel reverberate around us in surround sound. We hear the voices of our fellow church members and remember that were not in this alone. God has welcomed us into his family.” Listen in as we sit down with Matt Merker, author of “Corporate Worship: How the Church Gathers as God’s People” (Crossway, 2021), asking him about all things worship/singing at church. Questions include: 1. Can you give us a historical overview of worship since Jesus? 2. What trends are very much products of the 21stcent? 3. Is worship...2021-06-0950 min

The Laymens Lounge67. Michael Kruger: The 10 Commandments of Progressive ChristianityNot long ago, Dr. Michael Kruger came across a list of ten principles set forth by proponents of progressive Christianity. They are, in effect, a new Ten Commandments. What’s striking is that they are far less about God revealing his desires and far more about man expressing his own—less Moses, more Oprah. Yet each of these “commandments” is partially true. Indeed, that is what makes this list, and progressive Christianity as a whole, so challenging. Half-truths can sound quite appealing until you recognize their foundations and implications. In connection with Dr. Kruger’s booklet, The Ten Comman...2021-05-3144 min

The Laymens Lounge66. Michael Berg: Ok, So You’re Saved… Now What? Vocation as the Setting for FlourishingOk, so were saved… Now what? Once we know we are firm in Christ, we ask, along with Luther, what should we do now? We know we don’t perform good works to get saved, or to stay saved, or to improve our salvation, or to impress God… So why do works at all then? We agree with Luther/Wingren saying “God doesn’t need your good works… But your neighbor does.” We are free to work, we are free to return to a pre-fall era where work was first introduced as the original great commission (in the great cultural manda...2021-05-261h 01

The Laymens Lounge65. Matthew B. Redmond: The God of the Mundane - Ordinary Life for Ordinary PeopleWhen the desire to be on fire for Jesus is a living hell “Is there a God for those who are not changing anything but diapers? Is there a God for those who simply love their spouse and pour out rarely appreciated affection on their children day after day? Is there a God for the mom who spends what feels like God-forsaken days changing diapers and slicing up hot dogs? Is there a God for the man who hammers out a day’s work in obscurity for the love of his wife and kids? Is there a God...2021-05-181h 03

The Laymens Lounge64. Katherine Sonderegger: God’s Internal Fellowship Prior to Time and CreationThe Trinity is not a Mere Concept, Idea or Formula Questions to Dr. Sonderegger 1. What did God’s internal relationship look like as Father, Son and Spirit BEFORE anything was ever created? 2. Does understanding their pre-creation relationship explain why the Son was sent by the Father instead of the Son sending the Father to be incarnate and save us? 3. Explain Eternal generation and Is Eternal generation still happening? 4. Was creation some kind of overflow or byproduct of God’s internal relationship as Father, Son and Spirit? 5. When peop...2021-05-121h 08

The Laymens Lounge63. Ross Hastings: What is Our Motivation & Fuel for Good Works?Dr. Ross Hastings is a pure and utter delight and a fount of wisdom - a medium for compelling truth for the Christian just trying to make it through the day. Bombarded with temptations from within and without, how do we actually wage war, how do we “by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the flesh”, and is this moral battle itself the telos and goal of the lived-Christian-life? What is participation and what does the Trinity have to do with ethics, making good choices and being a better dad neighbor? Please, please, take some time to list...2021-05-041h 01

The Laymens Lounge62. Charles Cotherman: Francis Schaeffer & L'Abri, James Houston & Regent College, & Places to Think ChristianlyIn the late 1960s and on into the next decade, Francis Schaeffer regularly received requests from evangelicals across North America seeking his help to replicate his innovative learning community, L'Abri, within their own contexts. At the same time, an innovative school called Regent College had started up in Vancouver, British Columbia, led by James Houston and offering serious theological education for laypeople. Before long, numerous admirers and attendees of L'Abri and of Regent had launched Christian "study centers" of their own―often based on or near university campuses―from Berkeley to Maryland. Join us as we sit down with Dr...2021-04-2849 min

The Laymens Lounge61. Michael Svigel: Fact Checking Urban Legends of Church HistoryWe all know Santa Claus didn’t really punch Arius in the face at Nicea (but we still share the memes), but there are a few other urban legends of Church history we need to come corrected on. In this episode Dr. Michael J. Svigel, author of “Urban Legends of Church History: 40 Common Misconceptions” (B&H Academic), takes us on a fact-checking crusade and puts some serious chinks in the armor of pseudo-history. 2021-04-2637 min

The Laymens Lounge60. Vincent Bacote: A Thoughtful Conversation on Race, Tension & Finding A Way (Part 2 of 2)Join us as we sit down with Dr. Vincent Bacote, (interview part 2 of 2) (Associate Professor of Theology, Director of Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College) author of “Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News In Search of a Better Evangelical Theology” (Brill, 2020) – listen-in as we have a thoughtful discussion on race, properly navigating blind-spots and how to view common experiences of minority/majority engagement. We’re not woke, but we’re not asleep – this is a volley where we hit race, tension, evangelicalism, priorities, and seek to attend to the concerns of others by taking the time to chec...2021-04-2347 min

The Laymens Lounge59. Vincent Bacote: A Thoughtful Conversation on Race, Tension & Finding A Way (1 of 2)Join us as we sit down with Dr. Vincent Bacote, (the first of two interviews with) (Associate Professor of Theology, Director of Center for Applied Christian Ethics at Wheaton College) author of “Reckoning with Race and Performing the Good News In Search of a Better Evangelical Theology” (Brill, 2020) - listen-in as we have a thoughtful discussion on race, properly navigating blind-spots and how to view common experiences of minority/majority engagement. We’re not woke, but we’re not asleep – this is a volley where we hit race, tension, evangelicalism, priorities, and seek to attend to the concerns of others by...2021-04-2052 min

The Laymens Lounge58. Bray & Keane: A Primer on The Book of Common PrayerAn Introduction, Overview & Step-by-Step Guide “The Book of Common Prayer” seems amazing but having grown up Baptist I have no idea what this thing is and how its to be used. So, we wrangled in the editors of IVP’s release of “The 1662 Book of Common Prayer”, Samuel L. Bray & Drew Keane, and asked them everything you need to know on what this thing is all about, how to best use it for personal devotion, etc. Listen in as we ask them: 1. Can you introduce yourselves perhaps sharing your background, involvement with the project of reprinting...2021-04-131h 01

The Laymens Lounge57. Seth Dillon: The Babylon Bee’s Divine Use of RidiculeJoin us as we sit down with Seth Dillon, CEO of the Babylon Bee and co-founder of Not the Bee, asking him: 1. Having been at the helm of the Babylon Bee for awhile now, what has been the most mind-blowing thing that’s been sent to you? Like, has anybody gifted you an autographed Joe Montana football or maybe someone sent you a bag-full of their old fingernail clippings? 2. My fav Babylon Bee post goes all the way back to 2016 and is “Pentecostal Teen Finally Receives Gift Of Faking Tongues”. What post is in the Hall o...2021-04-0829 min

The Laymens Lounge56. Jordan Ballor: Being Discipled by Abraham Kuyper in 2021(Ep. 56) Jordan Ballor: Being Discipled by Abraham Kuyper “Kuyper Must be Understood as an Artist” Few people have read, and know the works, of Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) better than Dr. Jordan Ballor – editor of the 12 volume series: “Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology from” (Lexham Press). We might say that, though removed by over 100 years, Abraham Kuyper has discipled Jordan Ballor. Having sat down and read-through (and prayed-through, preached-through, written-through and applied) Kuyper as much as Dr. Ballor has, he is able to see what Kuyper majored on, assumed, put consistent weight in, what he valued...2021-04-0657 min

The Laymens Lounge55. Stephen J. Nichols: A Primer on J. Gresham MachenOn a Sunday afternoon in 1935, J. Gresham Machen stepped into a broadcast booth at WIP Radio in Philadelphia and began something no one had tried before: teaching Reformed theology over the radio. In the vein of C.S. Lewis’s landmark “Mere Christianity” talks, Machen’s addresses are a crystal-clear articulation of the basics of the Christian faith, unfolding into an exceptional and persuasive explanation of Reformed theology. Things Unseen is both an accessible systematic theology, and a masterclass in evangelistic apologetics. Introduced by Timothy J. Keller, Foreword by Sinclair B. Ferguson, Historical Preface by Stephen J. Nichols...2021-04-0127 min

The Laymens Lounge54. Danny Hyde: A Primer on the Belgic Confession That's Not Boring (Part 1 of 3 on the Three Forms of Unity)Part 1 of our 3-part-series where Danny Hyde gives us a primer on each of the 3 documents that comprise the Three Forms of Unity. Today Danny Hyde takes us to school on the gloriousness that is the Belgic Confession. Listen in as we ask discuss: 1. Can you give us a quick intro on what this thing is and why it should matter to a busy mom in 2021? 2. What groups or denominations use the Belgic Confession? 3. How does one use the Belgic Confession in their daily lives and what would a life marked by its u...2021-03-3049 min

The Laymens Lounge53. Guy Waters: A Covenant Theology PrimerJoin us as we sit down with Dr. Guy Waters, contributor and co-editor of Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives (Crossway, 2020), and discuss Covenant Theology asking: Is the principal of Covenant Theology something that a Bible reader could easily, or difficultly, glean from actively engaging their Bibles apart from secondary sources? How do we see Covenant Theology in seed form amongst the Church prior to Augustine? In your own life, as you are commuting to work, BBQing with friends, looking around at this world and thinking about your creator – in what ways has Covenant Theology enriched yo...2021-03-2455 min

The Laymens Lounge52. Craig Keener: How to be Biblically CharismaticDr. Craig Keener is a world-renowned Biblical scholar, and so, naturally, he believes the Bible, and takes seriously the command, when it says “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” Listen in as we ask Dr. Keener (in connection with his book “Gift and Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today” Baker Academic) what the Biblical warrant to believe that Spiritual Gifts continue (and have not ceased as the post-enlightenment West would have us believe) and then how to actually operate in them without being a heretic.2021-03-121h 05

The Laymens Lounge51. T. Desmond Alexander: Nuanced Questions on the Garden, Heaven & the Telos of HumanityJoin us as we sit down and pick the brain of the gracious T. Desmond Alexander in connection with his book "From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology" (Kregel Academic & Professional). Questions include: Are we able to answer the question “What is the chief end of God? And what is the role of creation in that end?” What is meant by a “temple-city”? and can we have any idea of what life on earth would have looked like if Adam and Eve didn’t rebel? That is, what would I see if I drove through a suburb of a...2021-03-021h 04

The Laymens Lounge50. Mitch Chase: Typology, Allegory and Actually Being Excited About Reading the BibleA Glorious Discussion on How to Joyously Read the Old Testament I think this is one of the most practical and applicable interviews we’ve had yet. “Joy is the word that comes to mind when I reflect on writing about typology and allegory” is how Dr. Mitchel Chase opens up his book “40 Questions About Typology and Allegory” (Kregel Academic). Listen as we sit down with Dr. Chase and discuss a way we can read the Bible the way it was intended to be read – to be read in such a way that results in, as we echo w...2021-02-241h 22

The Laymens Lounge49. Winfield Bevins: Young, Restless, and Anglican - Theology in MotionJoin us as we sit down with Winfield Bevins, author of "Simply Anglican: An Ancient Faith for Today's World" (Anglican Compass, 2020), asking him why so many Christians are trading their “Jonathan Edwards is my homeboy” shirt for icons of Chrysostom and prayer books, and find out what itch Anglicanism and liturgy scratch that the new-Calvinism doesn’t.2021-02-2248 min

The Laymens Lounge48. John Goldingay: How Should a Busy Mom Read Genesis?Listen in as I try to interview John Goldingay on Genesis.2021-02-1849 min

The Laymens Lounge47. Pieter Vos: Virtue Ethics, Theology & Our Desire for the Good LifeWhat are “Ethics”? What is the need for Ethics when we have Theology? What do ethics have to do with my normal life? How can I become the person I want to be? How can I try to live like Jesus and Hudson Taylor when they were at another level? How can I be a better human when Im depraved? All these, and more: listen in as we have a discussion with Dr. Pieter Vos around his new book “Longing for the Good Life: Virtue Ethics after Protestantism”.2021-02-171h 02

The Laymens Lounge46. Tish Harrison Warren: Real Talk on Prayer in Everyday LifeThere is a reason Tish Harrison Warren is widely received amongst us rank-and-file saints. She’s a Christian, she’s a human with hopes, fears and doubts. It seems many authors and teachers write and speak to the Christian’s normal lived-life by, unfortunately, responding to questions that nobody is really asking. But then there is Tish Harrison Warren. Here she invites us into her own journey of ordinary-grief where, along the way, she speaks and observes as one of us. Listen in as we discuss everyday life prayer in the context of the grief and sorrow of: stubbed toes...2021-02-151h 09

The Laymens Lounge45. Cornelis van der Kooi: If Theology is Only Academic Throw it in the Trash“Dogmatics is far from an abstract business but is connected by a thousand and one threads to everyday life.” - Cornelis van der Kooi Is it weird to anybody else that Theology often seems like a gentleman’s club, a hobby for academics and has really very very little to say about the rest of us as we try to “work out [our] salvation”? Why must high-truth be placed so high so that I need astronomical training to get there? Why are our seminary professors content with asking about (in Latin, of course) if God can make a martini...2021-02-091h 02

The Laymens Lounge44. Julie Canlis: A Theology of the Ordinary"Unless we rest in God's personalizing of us, we will try and 'personalize' our faith through our own intensity and emotions. Often, the 'personalness' of the gospel is secured through second-rate means, such as gratitude for salvation, or an individual sense of God's presence, or a missional call. These are wonderful things, but they are false securities. On the contrary, the only thing that can guarantee the personal nature of our faith is God's own personhood… Framing our whole existence around the personalness of God-as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit- is what ensures that our "spirituality" (or "piety") remains pe...2021-02-0449 min

The Laymens Lounge43. Paul Putz: A Theology of Sports & the Super Bowl"J. Gresham Machen was one of many to fall under the spell of football. 'When I see a vacant field on one of these autumn days,' Machen wrote to a friend while in Europe in 1905, 'my mind is filled with wonder at this benighted people which does not seem to hear the voice of nature when she commands every human being to play football or watch it being played.'” Join us we sit down with Dr. Paul Putz (Assistant Director of the Faith & Sports Institute at Truett Seminary) and discuss the intersection of sports & Christianity as...2021-02-0145 min

The Laymens Lounge42. Chad Bird: You’re Still the Same Sinner You Were a Year Ago (Nothing has Changed... But Neither Has Jesus)“People have this weird and irrational tendency to begin a new year with the assumption that things will truly be new during the next twelve months, that calendar changes equal humanity changes. I admit, quite sheepishly, that I sometimes share this weird notion... You think, My commitment to the straight and narrow is strong’ but your heart tells a far different and darker story.” - Chad Bird Happy New Year! Bring your New Year's Resolutions, and desires for growth, and listen in as we sit with the golden-penned, and down-to-earth, Chad Bird as we discuss resolutions, failed resolu...2020-12-3150 min

The Laymens LoungeTim Challies: Belonging to the Global Christian Family - A Few Relics, Tokens & AnecdotesThrough thirty-three objects, Tim Challies explores the history of what God is accomplishing in this world, whether through princes or peasants, triumph or trial and (notating his findings in a book and DVD set). Each object offers a tangible link between the present and the past, between the Christians of the 21st century and those who lived and died in centuries past. Join us as we sit down with Tim and discuss some of his comings and goings. You can watch a free episode of “Epic” here: “Epic Episode 8: India” NOTE: Since this recording, our brother...2020-12-2741 min

The Laymens LoungeJ.D. Greear: Searching for ChristmasJoin us as we sit down with J.D. Greear and discuss the implications of Christmas and how the “hopes and fears of all the years are met in” Jesus.2020-12-2122 min

The Laymens LoungeTom Schreiner: A Christmas Survey of Luke 1:1 - 2:21We had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Tom Schreiner to discuss the first couple chapters of Luke - asking how best to make sense of it all and have our calloused hearts hear the story afresh. Join us as we take a Christmas stroll through advent portions of Luke with the sweetheart of sweethearts the good Dr. Tom Schreiner 2020-12-1752 min

The Laymens LoungeMichael Bird: The Gospel in all Loci of Systematic TheologyJoin us as we sit down with Dr. Bird and discuss the second edition of his Systematic Theology and what needs he saw that would cause him to take the time to offer the world yet another Systematic Theology. “I have generally believed that some theologians should be routinely slapped in the face with a soggy fish in order to try to smack some exegetical sense into them. You can only watch someone struggling to push a round peg into a square hole for so long before you finally snatch the peg from them and say, “Just give...2020-12-1547 min

The Laymens LoungeAdam English: Historical Truth on Santa Claus/St. Nicholas of Myra, The Red Suit & Punching HereticsThe life and trials of Nicholas of Myra the Saint who would be Santa Claus. Listen in as we sit down with Dr. Adam English and trace the evolution of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century Bishop (in modern-day Turkey), to who would become everyone’s favorite jolly toy yielding fat man: Santa Claus. Did he punch Arius? What's the deal with the red suite? Stockings and fireplaces? Saving prostitutes and boiling children? The North Pole? And a bunch more separating fact from fiction.2020-12-0943 min

The Laymens LoungeAndrew Abernethy: Biblical Expectations on What the Messiah Would Actually Do?Listen as we sit down with Dr. Andrew Abernethy to discuss what the Old Testament expected of the coming Messiah and to what end? A conquering King? Forgiveness of sins? Flourishing? Justice? A suffering Servant? God Himself? Shalom? Fiscal Security?...2020-12-0749 min

The Laymens LoungeGreg Lanier: Why Jesus was Born of a Virgin & Other Incarnation QuestionsJoin us as we sit down with Dr. Greg Lanier and discuss all things incarnation, asking questions like: 1. Why did the Messiah need to be born of a virgin so meek and mild? 2. Why did the Messiah need to be fully God and fully man? 3. What does it mean that Mary was “overshadowed” by the Spirit? 4. Is Mary to be called the “mother of God”? 5. In the humanity of Jesus He was like us in every way, but can we really say that since we have original sin and He didn’...2020-12-0453 min

The Laymens LoungeRichard Mouw: Christmas Carols as a Vehicle for Truth, Joy & Human LongingJoin us as we talk all things Christmas carols with the ever-gracious and holistic Richard Mouw. Dr. Mouw says, “I love Christmas carols, and I even find it inspiring to hear them sung in shopping malls. Some lines in particular tempt me to stop in my tracks. When, surrounded by bustling crowds, I hear that “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight,” I want to pause and try to imagine the ways in which the coming of Christ speaks to the deepest yearnings of the people.”2020-12-0133 min

The Laymens LoungeGordon Nickel: The Quran with Christian CommentaryJoin us as we sit down with leading Islam and Quran scholar Dr. Gordon D. Nickel and ask questions in connection with his recent book, “The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam”: - If one were to read the Quran with a complete open-mind, and never heard of Islam or Christianity before, what would the main takeaways be as the big picture? - What are the issues that even Muslims themselves must concede as far as the Quran perhaps being in error or falsification or a-historical? - What...2020-11-2557 min

The Laymens LoungeRobert McKenzie: Historical Truth on Pilgrims, Thanksgiving &The MayflowerJoin us as we sit down with Dr. Robert Tracy McKenzie as he helps separate fact from fiction on Pilgrims, the Mayflower and Thanksgiving. Dr. McKenzie is the author of “The First Thanksgiving What the Real Story Tells Us About Loving God and Learning from History” (IVP Academic 2013), and we ask him: 1. Any notable people in that band, or did they leave anything behind as far as books or dogma that we moderns might have caught wind of? 2. Why do we love the drama of finding out history is embellished and uncovering misconceptions…? Like, realizing the Pi...2020-11-2341 min

The Laymens LoungeJ.V. Fesko: Creeds, Confessions and Cage-StagersJoin us we sit down with J.V. Fesko and ask him, in connection with his new book “The Need for Creeds Today: Confessional Faith in a Faithless Age”: - In what ways are some Confessional Christians like grouchy territorial local surfers? - Is the Presbyterian Westminster Confession more bonafide and cooler than the Baptist 1689 Confession? - Are Baptists truly “Reformed” - What do you say to “No Creed but the Bible”? - Why do some Reformed Confessional Christians come off a lil’ on the smug side, almost like an acceptable...2020-11-201h 10

The Laymens LoungeDuvall & Hays: God's Relational Presence is the Cohesive Center of Biblical TheologyWhat is the focus of the Bible? Heaven? Kingdom? Covenant? Justification? Glory to God? Join us as we sit down with J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays as we discuss the unity of the whole Bible. Listen as they speak to God's desire to be with his people is a thread running from Genesis through Revelation. Duvall and Hays make the case that God's relational presence is central to the Bible's grand narrative. It is the cohesive center that drives the whole biblical story and ties together other important biblical themes, such as covenant, kingdom, glory, and salvation...2020-11-161h 01

The Laymens LoungeCraig Bartholomew: An Invitation for Christians & Humans to FlourishApart from the doctrine of God, no doctrine is as comprehensive as that of creation. Join us as we sit down with the Rev. Dr. Craig Bartholomew as we discuss creation and how it is woven throughout the entire fabric of Christian theology. It goes to the deepest roots of reality and leaves no area of life untouched. Across the centuries, however, the doctrine of creation has often been eclipsed or threatened by various forms of gnosticism. Yet if Christians are to rise to current challenges related to public theology and ethics, we must regain a robust, biblical doctrine...2020-11-111h 02

The Laymens LoungeKristyn Getty: Sanctifying the Night, Songs & Family WorshipJoin us as we sit down with Kristyn Getty and discuss “Evensong’ – Hymns and Lullabies at the close of day, and how we too can, as Getty puts it, “be making worship part of the fabric of life in general” for our families, especially our children. Kristyn says “A good hymn is curating wonderful ideas about the Lord, distilling great truths in memorable lines in beautiful ways and catchy melodies, and so it invites questions. Its starts conversations…” “’O for a thousand tongues to sing’” what does that mean – ‘a thousand tongues’? It gives that sense of: the praise we desire to bring...2020-11-0542 min

The Laymens LoungeCarl Trueman: Here's Why Martin Luther is the People's TheologianJoin us as we sit down with Dr. Carl Trueman and discuss Martin Luther on the Christian Life, the Cross and Freedom.2020-10-3149 min

The Laymens LoungeNelson Kloosterman: Herman Bavinck's Application of the Imago Dei to All of LifeThe Dogmatics and Ethics of Herman Bavinck applied to daily life. Herman Bavinck gave much thought to Dogmatics, ethics, and being a human created in the image of God, or “imago Dei” – join us as we sit down with Dr. Nelson Kloosterman, who has played a part in the translation of many modern Bavinck works we read, and ask: What is the difference between ethics and Dogmatics? If we were to ask Bavinck “What does it mean to be human?” what would his response be? What are the implications of being created in the image of God for a non-Christ...2020-10-3053 min

The Laymens LoungeMike Wagenman: Appropriating Abraham Kuyper for 2020Join us as we sit down with Mike Wagenman to discuss one of the most important theologians of the last 300 years: Abraham Kuyper. Kuyper still speaks powerfully to our day. The battle he was fighting to confess the Lordship of Jesus over all of life and the public truth of the gospel in the face of the powerful currents of modern humanism that sought to privatize the Christian faith is as important to the church today as then, if not more important! Michael Wagenman has given us a great popular introduction to Kuyper’s thought on the mission of the chur...2020-10-2955 min

The Laymens LoungeMichael Horton: Strange Notions on Justification Diagnosed - & Remedies for Our HeresiesToday we sit down with Michael Horton and ask him to ask him a thousand questions about justification. The doctrine of justification stands at the center of our systematic reflection on the meaning of salvation as well as our piety, mission, and life together. In his two-volume work on the doctrine of justification, Michael Horton seeks not simply to repeat noble doctrinal formulas and traditional proof texts, but to encounter the remarkable biblical justification texts in conversation with the provocative proposals that, despite a wide range of differences, have reignited the contemporary debates around justification.2020-10-2838 min

The Laymens LoungeJordan Cooper: The Proper Distinction Between Law and Gospel"Rightly Distinguishing the Law and Gospel is the Most Difficult & Highest art of Christians" - CFW Walther Today we sit down with Dr. Jordan Cooper and discuss the proper distinction between the law and the Gospel - as well as CFW Walther's contribution to the subject. 2020-10-2754 min

The Laymens LoungeMatthew Barrett: Help! The Old Testament is BizarreIn this episode we sit down for an interview with Dr Matthew Barrett to learn how to read the Bible as one story (and not just a bunch of bizarre un-related scenes) and how Jesus Himself read the Scriptures (as all pointing to Him). 2020-10-2650 min

The Laymens LoungeDanny Olinger: A Beginner’s Guide to Geerhardus VosJoin us as we interview Danny Olinger, author of the definitive Geerhardus Vos biography. We explore Vos’ personal life, his theology, and we learn of Vos the poet and the sad reality of how he died in obscurity with less than 10 people at his funeral, but how his work has become the go-to for doing proper Biblical Theology and seeing the big picture of the story of God unfold.2020-10-2557 min

The Laymens LoungeN.T. Wright: How Christianity Makes Sense of the World (And C.S. Lewis, Demons, Lament, etc.)An Interview with N.T. Wright on C.S. Lewis, Demons, Lament and More. Join us as we sit down with N.T. Wright to discuss, in connection with his new book “Broken Signposts: How Christianity Makes Sense of the World”, things like: 1. How do things like Justice, Beauty, Freedom, etc., in all their fleetingness, make sense of this world and point towards Jesus? 2. C.S. Lewis and the “moral argument” for God 3. Should we share the Gospel with a family who are minding their own business at the beach and having a...2020-10-2155 min

The Laymens LoungeLeopoldo Sánchez: Did Jesus Need the Spirit? Jesus' Life in the Spirit and How We Share In that LifePaul says we must walk by the Spirit - did Jesus walk by the Spirit? When we walk by the Spirit are we functioning like Christ? Was Jesus Obedient to the Father Through the Spirit? Dr. Leopoldo Sanchez articulates Jesus' life in the Spirit and what this means for us who desire to live like Jesus.2020-10-1947 min

The Laymens LoungeJeffrey Niehaus: Talking Snakes? Magical Trees? “We can’t even touch it!”, & Other Eden Q&AsJoin us as we pick the brain of Old Testament scholar Jeffrey Niehaus on Genesis 3:1-3 (and more): “Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touc...2020-10-0353 min

The Laymens LoungeR. Scott Clark: A Proper Expectation of the Christian LifeIts been said that for fish that living under water, with all they’ve ever known as underwater living, and all the other fish around them also only knowing underwater living, that these fish might incorrectly assume that water is all there is. It causes us to ask: Are modern 2020 Evangelical Christians like these fish? Are we swimming in muddled waters of a distinctly North American Christianity that is detached and has little or no continuity with what Christianity has looked like the last 2000 years? Are the nuts and bolts, and the emphasis of, modern evangelical Christianity ac...2020-09-161h 02

The Laymens Lounge56 Million People Have Watched “The Chosen” TV Series: Why? A Chat with Associate Producer Justen OverlanderThe Chosen, a TV series about the life of Jesus, has had nearly 56 million views. Join us as we sit down with The Chosen Associate Producer Justen Overlander as we ask what the show is all about and why 56 million people (and counting) have watched it. Learn more here Follow The Chosen on Facebook here Follow Justen Overlander on Facebook here Watch a preview here Watch episode 1 here 2020-09-1646 min

The Laymens LoungeJames Eglinton: A Discussion on "Herman Bavinck A Critical Biography""An Orthodox Life in a Changing World" indeed. Dr. James Eglinton joins us to discuss the life of Herman Bavinck in connection with his forthcoming "Bavinck: A Critical Biography" (Baker Academic). Dutch Calvinist theologian and polymath Herman Bavinck, a significant voice in the development of Protestant theology, remains relevant many years after his death. His four-volume "Reformed Dogmatics" is one of the most important theological works of the twentieth century. James Eglinton is widely considered to be at the forefront of contemporary interest in Bavinck's life and thought. After spending considerable time in...2020-09-031h 02

The Laymens LoungeRobert Covolo: Fashion Theology"There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” - Abraham Kuyper What hath Jesus to do with fashion? What hath Paris to do with Jerusalem?Well, if every square inch of this world belongs to the Lord, then much! Listen in as we interview Dr. Robert Covolo (PhD, Free University Amsterdam/Fuller Seminary) on the place of fashion in Christianity. Dr. Covolo has just blessed Christians across the globe, and centuries (yes, we just said that), by re...2020-08-2952 min

The Laymens LoungeDr. Jack Deere (Part 1): A Conversation With A Healer (Yes, You Read That Right)Dr. Jack Deere is a healer. By the power of the Spirit, and for the glory of the living and active God, he has healed many. He isn't insane, isn't a faker, doesnt want your money, he's not on TV and doesn't wear a purple suit... He's been a pastor for decades, speaks Greek/Hebrew/Aramaic/German, taught Seminary for a decade, and probably knows all your arguments against the fact that the gifts of the Spirit are still for today better than you (because he knows the Bible and doesn't dismiss teachings from the Word because weirdos and...2020-08-191h 02

The Laymens LoungeChad Bird: Good News for Failures, Know-it-Alls & Jerks“Why do we focus on our motivations for [repenting]? Why do we keep asking ourselves ‘Am I heartily sorry? Do I sincerely repent? Or am I only going through the motions?’ Behind the veil of our confused emotions and self-scrutinizing, the age-old internal battle continues. Our sinful nature is on a crusade, and its target conquest is confession.” Chad Bird penned those words, but I think we all fall to that same lame and un-biblical idea that we are saved, and "kept saved", not just by faith, but "saving faith" or "sincere faith" or some other qualifier to "faith in Jesus...2020-08-1557 min

The Laymens LoungeG.K. Beale: The Garden of Eden, God, Adam, Eve & Me?As we make our way through Genesis 1–3, we will glean three interrelated points: (1) God creates the heavens and the earth to be his cosmic sanctuary, where he sovereignly rules and dwells. All creation is designed to house the glory of God. (2) God creates Adam and Eve as kings to rule on his behalf and as priests to serve and mediate his glory. Humanity is created to remain wholly dependent on God and represent him faithfully on the earth. (3) In an attempt to be independent of God, the original couple succumbs to the serpent’s temptation. But, despite the fall, God...2020-07-3054 min

The Laymens LoungeChris Bruno: Hawaii Christianity, "Biblical Theology" & How to Read the Bible as One Joyful Story200 years ago the first Christian missionaries arrived in the Kingdom of Hawaii. There remains a great heritage and legacy of faith in the islands (as well as, sadly, no small residual pain from deplorable acts). There's a great need for the kānaka ʻōiwi to return to the ancient faith. Dr. Chris Bruno and his ohana, along with others faithful saints, are resolved to proclaim the compelling truth of the grand story of God in the islands and across the Pacific. He hopes Christians will see from our "Biblical Theological" Bible readings, how all cultures and peoples of God's goo...2020-07-2258 min

The Laymens LoungePierce Hibbs: Anxiety, Suffering & God's Wonderful Plan for it in Our Lives“If you’re [listening to this podcast] right now, I’m assuming you’re clawing your way through hell, or you have in the past, or you know someone who is. I don’t know where you are—buried under blankets in a dark room, sitting on a bus with your body stiff as steel, gripping a steering wheel like your life depended on it—but I don’t judge. I’ve been in the worst of places with my anxiety. I also don’t know how you are—whether this is a “good” day or a “bad” day, whether your anxiety seems dis...2020-07-211h 04

The Laymens LoungeMatthew Kaemingk: "Work and Worship: Reconnecting Our Labor and Liturgy" A DiscussionSunday worship and our Monday work desperately need to inform and impact each other but they often seem like worlds apart. Dr Matthew Kaemingk joins us to discuss his forthcoming book Work and Worship: Reconnecting Our Labor and Liturgy and traces work/working/worship in ancient Israel, labor/liturgy in the eary Church, and how we can intentionally, and naturally, bring them together in our time. Visit www.TheLaymensLounge.com for more goodness Visit https://www.matthewkaemingk.com/ for more on Dr. Kaemingk Read Moms, Marchers, and Managers: Priests All Three here 2020-07-1857 min

The Laymens LoungeAre We Saved by Grace but Kept-Saved by Good Works? A Conversation with Theocast about Resting in Jesus (Part 1)Christians know we are saved by grace, but we often think we need to conjure up and produce a steady stream of good works to “stay saved” (quiet times, being nice to our baristas, “spiritual disciplines”, etc.). In this episode Pastor’s Jon Moffitt and Justin Perdue (from the www.Theocast.org podcast and ministry) sit down with us and “encourage weary pilgrims to rest in Christ” the “friend of sinners”. We are reminded that when we are united to Christ by faith (ie become Christians), that all the good works Jesus did have actually been credited to our accounts - in such...2020-07-151h 01

The Laymens LoungeRichard Mouw: God Delights in Sacred Prayers and Songs, but What About Family BBQs, Pagan Art and Baseball?We all know God delights in the sacred activity of prayers and songs of Christians, but does He also delight in "secular" things as well? Can He appreciate an amazing one-handed catch at a football game? How about ancient Chinese pottery? A soaring Hawk? A family trip to Disneyland? What about Haitian Voodoo art, The Game of Thrones and Zombies? And why do we talk with such joy when discussing backyard BBQs and beach trips, but we become very somber and heavy when we shift to the topic of discipleship? Listen in as we interview the great Richard Mouw...2020-07-0859 min

The Laymens LoungeDanny Hyde: Reasons for a Historic Christianity (Resting and Reformation)Listen in as we interview Pastor/Scholar Danny Hyde and discuss how Christians are weary from thinking they always need to be "doing stuff" to impress Jesus and to "stay saved" rather than resting in Christ and His finished work on our behalf. Pastor Danny takes us through the history of Western Christianity's decay into self-centered pietism, and lost sight of the historical and longstanding Christian saints who have gone before us - especially that of the Reformers and the early Church. We ask: What hath welding to do with Christianity? What about restoring old gas pumps? Was Billy...2020-07-021h 02

The Laymens LoungeSam Storms: A Reformed Pastor who speaks in tounges, has visions, seen healings... Reminds Christians that we are commanded to pursue the giftsJoin us as we sit down with Reformed scholar/pastor/theologian, Sam Storms, who believes the Spiritual Gifts are still alive and that the church despertaley needs the power of God. We ask Sam: Are tounges just insane jibberish or are they something actually from God? Are the gifts for today or have they ceased with the Apostles? How can we actually believe the gifts when most people who "do" them are clearly charlatans? Should we seek the gifts or leave that to the charasmatics? Ive tried praying for healing, but have never seen it - why should we...2020-06-111h 01

The Laymens LoungeEdwin van Driel: What is Jesus Doing? Is He on the move or asleep? How can we be a part of His activity?Join us as we talk with Dr Edwin van Driel as we ask: what is Jesus doing? Is He even doing anything at all (because it seems like this world is going to hell and the Church seems to have no influence)? Is Jesus just a mental truth from 2,000 years ago or is He up to something today? Listen in on this edifying conversation. This, and all our transcribed/audio interviews, can be found at www.TheLaymensLounge.com 2020-05-2156 min

The Laymens LoungeJohn Walton: "Why did God 'rest' on the 7th day?" and Other Genesis Questions for the Modern Bible ReaderJoin us as we interview Dr John Walton (professor of Old Testament at Wheaton College and one of the world's most prominent scholars and voices on Ancient near east background to the Bible) with crucial questions like 1. How do we read/interpret the creation account (literal 24 hours or something else)? 2. How did the original readers of Genesis read the creation account (function vs origin/house vs home). 3. What does it mean made in the image of God? 3. What was significant about "God resting on the 7th day"? And much more. This, and all our transcribed interviews, can be found...2020-03-0553 min

The Laymens LoungeAmos Yong: Exploring the Person and Work of the Holy SpiritJoin us as we interview Amos Yong (professor of Theology and Mission at Fuller Seminary) who seeks to bring Biblical clarity to the person and work of the Spirit, in the academy as well as the Church. In this discussion we ask who is the Spirit? What does the Spirit do? How do we get "filled" with the Spirit and what does that even mean?... This, and all our transcribed interviews, can be found at www.TheLaymensLounge.com 2020-03-0547 min

The Laymens LoungeBruce Ashford: Storyline of the Bible & Cleaning CatsBruce Ashford is Professor of Theology & Culture at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and seeks to cultivate a “Christianity for the common good" with his conviction that Jesus is Lord and, for that reason, we should be thoughtful and intentional about how our belief in him should shape our lives. Join us as we discuss the storyline of the Bible, what cleaning cats has to do with Jesus, how to be a Christian where your just doing normal stuff. This, and all our transcribed interviews, can be found at www.TheLaymensLounge.com 2020-02-0734 min