The Pastor Theologians Podcast
A theology podcast for the church, featuring conversations and teaching resources at the intersection of theological scholarship and life and ministry in the local church. The show aims to equip pastors to be theologians for today's complex world.
Episodes
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Brad Embry
In this episode we welcome CPT Fellow Brad Embry, pastor of Missions and Outreach at St. Michael’s Anglican Church in Wisconsin. He shares his journey from biblical scholar to Pastor Theologian, reflecting on vocational discernment, transitioning away from academia, and finding a home in the Anglican tradition.Listen as we discuss the relationship between theological scholarship and the local chur
Complementarity | Gregg Allison
In this episode of the CPT Podcast, we welcome Greg Allison to discuss his book Complementarity. Allison explains his vision of “complementarity” as a theological framework focused not on gender roles but on the shared dignity, difference, and interdependence of men and women as image-bearers of God. Drawing on biblical theology, church history, and contemporary debates, the conversation explores
Deathly (De)Vices | Dillon Thornton
In this episode of the CPT Podcast, we are joined by CPT Fellow pastor Dillon Thornton to discuss his new book, Deathly (De)Vices: Our Ever-Present Portals to Seven Ancient Sins. Drawing from pastoral ministry, personal experience, and the Christian tradition of the seven deadly sins, Thornton explores how smartphones, social media, and emerging technologies subtly deform our hearts and habits. Th
BONUS | Kyle Fever on Books and Preaching
A bonus conversation with CPT fellow Kyle Fever on life, preaching, books, and music.Join us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Kyle Fever
In this episode, we are joined by pastor theologian Kyle Fever to discuss his journey from a Lutheran upbringing and love of biblical scholarship into pastoral ministry. Kyle reflects on the shifting nature of vocation, the challenges of balancing academic aspirations with family life, and how his daughter’s traumatic brain injury profoundly reshaped his understanding of ministry, calling, and fai
BONUS | Matthew LaMaster on Books, Preaching, and Sermon Prep
A short bonus conversation with CPT fellow Matthew LaMaster on a book that has influenced his preaching ministry and his aspiration to write his sermons six months before they are preached.Join us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologians | Matthew LaMaster
In this episode of the CPT Podcast, Matt Lamaster discusses his path into pastoral ministry, from his upbringing in evangelical churches to serving as a pastor in rural Maine. He reflects on the challenges of his first pastorate, the lessons he learned through ministry and theological study, and how his work in the book of Hebrews has shaped his understanding of the pastor theologian’s calling. Th
Finding Faithful Pastors | Rich Kidd
Joel Lawrence sits down with Rich Kidd of Mission Leadership to discuss the changing landscape of pastoral leadership. Drawing from years of experience in executive search and ministry, Kidd reflects on the growing need for shepherds, not just speakers, in ministry today, and the challenges churches face in identifying and supporting healthy leaders. How can churches engage in practices that appro
BONUS | Joey Sherrard on Books and Preaching
A short bonus episode where CPT fellow Joey Sherrard shares discusses St. Augustine's important book, On Christian Teaching.Join us at the CPT Conference
The Augustinian Pastor | Joey Sherrard
This episode features a conversation with Joey Sherrard about his new book The Augustinian Pastor, exploring how the life and theology of Augustine can shape modern pastoral ministry. Drawing from his own journey—especially rediscovering Augustine during COVID—Sherrard highlights how Augustine’s work as a hands-on pastor was itself the outworking of and context in which he did his theological refl
Jonathan Griffiths | Gathered for Good
This episode features a conversation* with Pastor Jonathan Griffiths on his ministry journey—from Toronto to Oxford and Cambridge—and the theological vision behind his book Gathered for Good. The discussion explores the importance of the local church’s physical gathering, especially in a post-COVID context, addressing challenges like disengagement, “fringe” attendance, and the rise of virtual chur
BONUS | Matt Erickson on Books and Preaching
A short bonus episode where CPT fellow Matt Erickson shares two formative books for his ministry—Eugene Peterson’s Working the Angles and Tim Keller’s Preaching—highlighting how they shape his approach to prayer, Scripture, pastoral care, and effective preaching.Join us at the CPT Conference
The Pastor as Gardener | Matt Erickson
In this episode of the The CPT Podcast, hosts Zachary Wagner and Joel Lawrence interview Matt Erickson about his path to pastoral ministry and the ideas behind his book The Pastor as Gardener. Erickson shares his conversion in high school, his formation at Wheaton College and Northern Theological Seminary, and how crises in ministry—including COVID-19 and church tensions—pushed him to rethink comm
Preaching as Theology | Nicole Martin (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 10)
In this final episode of the Preaching in the Pastor-Theologian series, Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim are joined by Nicole Martin—pastor, preacher, and President/CEO of Christianity Today—for a wide-ranging conversation that brings the series’ central themes into sharp focus. Drawing on her own preaching journey and her book Nailing It, Martin reflects on preaching as a theological act of proclamatio
A PhD in Preaching | Todd Still (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 9)
In this episode, Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim welcome Todd Still, Delancey Dean and Professor of Christian Scriptures at Truett Seminary, for a rich conversation on theological education and the formation of preachers. Drawing on his own journey as a pastor, scholar, and dean, Still articulates a layered theological vision for preaching—rooted in the grand narrative of Scripture, shaped by evangelic
Social Media, Attention, and AI | Dan Brendsel (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 8)
Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim speak with CPT Fellow Dan Brendsel about preaching in an age shaped by social media, attention economics, and artificial intelligence, exploring how technology subtly reinforces idolatry and the illusion of control. Brendsel argues that preaching should resist catering to diminished attention spans and instead cultivate prayerful attentiveness to God, framing preaching a
Political Movements, Social Change, and the Preacher | Ed Copeland (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 7)
In this episode, Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim talk with pastor, lawyer, and theologian K. Edward Copeland about how the gospel shapes the church’s engagement with today’s social and political tensions. Ed shares his unique journey—from overcoming a childhood speech impediment to decades of ministry and justice work—and offers a compelling vision of the gospel as God’s reconciling work for people, sy
Cultural Intelligence and the Preacher | Gerald Hiestand (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 6)
In this conversation, hosts Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim speak with Gerald Hiestand—senior pastor of Calvary Memorial Church and co-founder of the Center for Pastor Theologians—about cultural intelligence and the work of preaching. Drawing from his ministry in the diverse and politically complex context of Oak Park, Illinois, Gerald describes the challenges and opportunities of engaging culture thou
Who Is Preaching For? | Ahmi Lee (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 5)
Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim talk with Ahmi Lee about her vision for preaching as participation in God’s “grand drama.” Drawing from her global upbringing, pastoral experience, and theological training, Lee explains how preaching should bridge text-centered and reader-centered approaches by rooting sermons in the sweeping biblical narrative while remaining attentive to the lived experiences of liste
The Sermon, Discipleship, and the Life of the Church | Jonathan Bailes (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 4)
Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim speak with Anglican priest and theologian Jonathan Bailes about the deep connection between preaching, discipleship, and the daily life of the church. Bailes reflects on the formative role of preaching within a liturgical tradition, emphasizing that the sermon is not commentary on current events but an encounter with the living voice of God that continually calls the chu
Preaching for Theological Formation | Paul Hoffman (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 3)
Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim speak with Paul Hoffman, senior pastor of Evangelical Friends Church in Newport, Rhode Island, about his ministry journey and upcoming transition to a faculty role at Samford University. The conversation centers on the book Preaching to a Divided Nation, coauthored by Hoffman and Kim, exploring how pastors can preach for reconciliation amid cultural, political, and racia
Keep Careful Watch on Your Life | Jim Samra (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 2)
CPT fellow and senior pastor of Calvary Church in Grand Rapids, Jim Samra, joins Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim for episode two of Preaching and the Pastor Theologian. Together, they explore the connection between a pastor’s inner life and the ministry of preaching. Samra reflects on the church as a “pillar” and “conduit” between heaven and earth, emphasizing how a preacher’s holiness and attentivenes
Speaking God, Listening Church | Kimlyn Bender (Preaching and the Pastor Theologian Episode 1)
Episode One of “Preaching and the Pastor Theologian” Hosts Joel Lawrence and Matt Kim introduce a ten-part exploration of the theology of preaching, launched through the CPT’s Compelling Preaching Initiative funded by the Lilly Endowment. Their guest, theologian Kimlyn Bender of Truett Seminary, discusses the theme “Preaching God, Listening Church,” emphasizing that God—not the preacher—is the pri
Building Thriving Congregations | Steve Williamson
CPT Manager of Church Programs, Steve Williamson, joins Zach and Joel to discuss this year's slate of cohorts for church leaders, exploring ecclesial identity, the arts, and cultural apologetics.Learn more and apply at:https://www.pastortheologians.co/identity-cohortandhttps://www.pastortheologians.co/learningcohortsJoin us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Joey Sherrard
In this episode of the CPT Podcast, Zach Wagner and Joel Lawrence talk with CPT fellow Joey Sherrard, discipleship pastor at Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church. Joey shares his story of coming to faith, studying theology at Rhodes, Duke, and St. Andrews, and discerning his calling as a pastor-theologian. He reflects on the influence of mentors, the challenges of growing up in a non-Christian home
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Shaun Brown
Shaun Brown, senior minister at Rocky Mount Christian Church and a fellow in the St. Hildegard Fellowship, joins the podcast to explore his journey through the Stone-Campbell movement, academic theology, and vocational ministry. Shaun shares how his faith was shaped by early experiences in church and Christian education, ultimately leading him from Bible college to a PhD program at Wycliffe Colleg
What Makes a Good Shepherd? | Amy Peeler
Amy Peeler for a rich conversation exploring pastoral identity, theological formation, and the upcoming Pastor Theologians Conference, Good Shepherds: Pastoral Identity and the Future of the Church. Amy shares insights from her latest projects—including a forthcoming book on Ordinary Time and an in-depth study of Paul’s use of birth and incarnation language—while reflecting on her own pastoral jou
Joy and Sorrow | Chris Bruno
Chris Bruno joins the podcast today to tell us about his recent book, Sharing Christ in Joy and Sorrow: A Theology of Philippians. What are the key theological themes in the book of Philippians? How do those themes fit together and inform one another? How does Philippians encourage and exhort those who are in seasons of suffering? What does Union with Christ mean? Learn more on today's episod
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Ed Gerber
Ed Gerber joins us to share his story of becoming a pastor theologian. How can the Lord use even a significant break up to prepare someone for ministry? How can those who prepare future ministry leaders be both preachers and teachers to their students? What is the balance between head and heart for those who study theology academically? This and more on today’s episode!Join us at the CPT Conferenc
What We're Reading — June 2025
For our June episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading:JD Vance, Hillbilly Elegy (2016)Rémi Brague, Kingdom of Man: Genesis and Failure of the Modern Project, (2018)Elizabeth Goudge, The Dean's Watch, (2012)Join us at the CPT Conference
Encountering God in the Bible | Michael Niebauer
Today on the podcast we are joined by Rev. Dr. Michael Niebauer as he shares about his recent book, Four Mountains: Encountering God in the Bible from Eden to Zion. How can Christians encounter Jesus on every page of the Bible? What can we learn from how the earliest Christians read Scripture, and connect seemingly disparate stories in the text? What is distinct about this style of reading as oppo
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Jason Meyer
Jason Meyer, lead pastor of Urban Refuge Church in Minneapolis, MN, joins the podcast today to tell us about his journey towards becoming a pastor theologian. After serving eight years as a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist, Jason shares what he learned about his own calling, and the identity of a "pastor." This and more on today's episode!Join us at the CPT Conference
Feed My Sheep | Doug Sweeney
CPT board member Doug Sweeney joins the podcast today. He previews his topic for the 2025 CPT Conference, Good Shepherds: Pastoral Identity and the Future of the Church. What are good Christian pastors supposed to be like? On the other hand, what malformative models of pastoral identity are common in our culture today? Doug also tells us about his 2024 book, Substance of Our Faith: Foundations for
On Christ and Masculinity | Casey Hough
Casey Hough joins us to talk about his recent book,When Poets Were Warriors: Retrieving a Biblical Vision of Masculinity (B&H Publishing, 2025). “Masculinity” is an increasingly popular subject for public discourse. Drawing on his experiences as a pastor and father, Hough argues that Christians ought to return to the complex and challenging example of Jesus, instead of relying on cultural ste
Culture and Christians | Dennis Greeson
What is culture, and what is our relationship to it as Christians? Dennis Greeson joins the podcast today to talk about his recent book The Way of Christ in Culture: A Vision for All of Life (Lifeway 2024), coauthored with Benjamin T. Quinn. In the book, the authors provide a framework for knowing one’s time in God’s story, one’s place in creation, and following wisdom. He also shares about the Al
Owned by God | James Arcadi
This week, James Arcadi joins the podcast to talk about his latest book, Holiness: Divine and Human (2023). He also shares about his dual calling to both pastoral ministry as a full-time Anglican rector, and to academic theology as a guest professor at Wheaton College. What is the relationship between abstract ideas and practical application? What does it mean for something to be "consecrated
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Adam Copenhaver
On the podcast this week, Adam Copenhaver shares with us about his early ministry caring for an older congregation, and his education and research on Colossians. He also tells us about his current pastoral context leading a church in a small, migrant farm town which had previously been led by an abusive pastor. He previews the breakout topic he will lead at the 2025 CPT Conference, Good Shepherds:
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Ben Burkholder
This week we are joined by CTP Fellow Ben Burkholder. Ben shares how he developed an interest in learning how people grow as disciples. Reflecting on his time as a student, Ben also shares insights about the relationship between psychology and spiritual formation. This and more on today’s podcast! Join us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Eric Rivera
Join us this week as we get to know Eric Rivera. Eric will be a plenary speaker at the 2025 Pastor Theologians Conference, Good Shepherds: Pastoral Identity and the Future of the Church. On this episode, Eric talks about how his story shaped his interests and calling in church history and pastoral ministry. Drawing from his context as a pastor at a multi-ethnic church in the greater Chicago area,
To Gaze upon God | Samuel Parkison
Samuel Parkison joins the podcast today to talk about his recent book, To Gaze upon God: The Beatific Vision in Doctrine, Tradition, and Practice (InterVarsity Press 2024.) He also shares with us his story and calling to academic ministry at the Abu Dhabi Extension Site at Gulf Theological Seminary in the United Arab Emirates. What is the beatific vision? What does the beatific vision have to do w
What We're Reading — April 2025
For our April episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading:CR Wiley, In the House of Tom Bombadil (2021)Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle Is the Way (2014)Percival Everett, James (2024)Harold Netland, Religious Experience and the Knowledge of God (2022)Join us at the CPT Conference
Mothers, Dignity, and Utility | Nadya Williams
Nadya Williams joins the podcast to talk about her recent book, Mothers, Children, and the Body Politic: Ancient Christianity and the Recovery of Human Dignity (IVP Academic, 2024.) How do our attitudes towards motherhood reflect either a commodification of human life or, by contrast, a rich affirmation of the imago dei? This and more on today’s podcast! Join us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Stephen Campbell
Stephen Campbell joins us today on the CPT podcast. Stephen tells us about witnessing his family's ministry through his childhood. He also shares how the Lord prepared him for his current context pastoring in Germany, and his research on the book of Deuteronomy. This and more on today's podcast!Join us at the CPT Conference
What is Holiness? | Matt O'Reilly
Matt O'Reilly joins us today to talk about his recent book Free to Be Holy: A Biblical Theology of Sanctification. What does the Bible teach us about holiness? How can the broader Evangelical community learn from historically Methodist theologies of sanctification? How can ecclesial styles of theological writing serve pastors and congregations as they work through topics like this one? This
A Vision of Freedom | Brad Littlejohn
Brad Littlejohn joins the podcast today to talk about his new book, Called to Freedom: Retrieving Christian Liberty in an Age of License. What is human "freedom"? Where do American theological, moral, and political concepts of freedom and liberty come from? How do Scripture and our culture view "freedom" differently, and how can pastors help the Church's ability to think B
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Steve Turnbull
Steve Turnbull joins the podcast to share his journey of becoming a pastor and Biblical scholar. As a pastor theologian, Steve has worked to develop a rich Biblical narrative imagination. Today, he serves as a senior pastor of Upper Arlington Lutheran Church in Ohio, as well as the provost and professor of New Testament at The Master's Institute in Minnesota. Join us at the CPT Conference
Critical Theory | Carl Trueman
We are excited to have Carl Trueman on the podcast today. Carl discusses his some of his recent books, including To Change All Worlds: Critical Theory from Marx to Marcuse, which provides an introductory intellectual history of Critical Theory, primarily non-polemically. In this episode, Carl walks us through the key figures and orienting ideas of Frankfurt School and Critical Theory. What is the
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Aaron Friesen
Aaron Friesen joins the podcast today to share his story of becoming a pastor theologian. Aaron describes how, in part though his seminary education at Fuller, he developed a vision and sense of calling for integrating theological education and service to the local church within his pentecostal tradition. Today, Aaron serves at CitySalt church in Eugene, OR and teaches in an adjunct capacity. Join
The Fantastical Fiction of C.S. Lewis | Rhys Laverty
Today we are joined on the podcast by Rhys Laverty as we discuss Life on the Silent Planet: Essays on Christian Living from C.S. Lewis’s Ransom Trilogy (Davenant Institute, 2024). This volume, edited by Laverty, is a collection of essays highlighting Lewis's insights on topics such as gender, contraception, bureaucracy, and transhumanism, as he wove them into the Ransom Trilogy. What questio
Sabbath Rest | Jon English Lee
Jon English Lee joins the podcast today to discuss his book, There Remains a Sabbath Rest for the People of God: A Biblical, Theological, & Historical Defense of Sabbath Rest as a Creation Ordinance. What is the theological significance of rest in Scripture? What does it mean for a pastor to lead from a restful soul? This and more on today's podcast episode!Join us at the CPT Conference
Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles | Jennifer McNutt
Jennifer Powell McNutt joins the podcast once again to discuss her recent book, The Mary We Forgot: What the Apostle to the Apostles Teaches the Church Today (Brazos Press 2024). Mary Magdalene's story has often been undervalued and confused, in part due to what Jennifer calls the "muddle of Marys" in the Gospels. What can we gain by a more careful analysis of Mary's story? How
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Matthew LaPine
Matthew LaPine joins the podcast to share his journey of faith through mental health challenges in his family and more. How can "playing the long game" shape our perspective as we navigate life's challenges? This and more on today’s episode!Join us at the CPT Conference
Augustine, Humility, and Preaching | Charles G. Kim
Charles (Chad) Kim joins the podcast to talk about his book, The Way of Humility: St. Augustine’s Theology of Preaching. How is Augustine’s theology and specifically the virtue of humility reflected in Augustine’s Sermon? Hear this and more on today’s episode. Join us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Ryan Jackson
Ryan joins the podcast today to share his story, including his background in the Pentecostal tradition. Find out how that tradition has shaped him as a pastor theologian. Further, how can we learn from themes of doubt, deconstruction, and anti-intellectualism? How do we think about these themes as ministry leaders? All this and more on today’s podcast. Join us at the CPT Conference
Year-End Reflections
As we wrap up 2024, in this episode the CPT staff reflects on the past year, and looks ahead to what the Lord might do through our ministry in 2025. Join us at the CPT Conference
Peace | Jonathan Huggins
Jonathan Huggins joins us on the podcast today with a sermon for the season of Advent reflecting on peace. How does the Gospel redefine shalom—peace—with God, within ourselves, and with others? How can we maintain relational and psychological rest in our souls when facing the anxiety-producing situations of our modern world? Join us at the CPT Conference
What We're Reading — December 2024
For our December episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading (and, on this occasion, watching):JRR Tolkien, Return of the King, (1955)Mark A. Noll, The Scandal of the Evangelical Mind (1995)Stephen King, Carrie (1974)Cormac McCarthy, The Border Trilogy, (1999)Jennifer Ratner-Rosenhagen, American Nietzsche: A History of an Icon and His Idea, 2011Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin. (2024)J
Church and Caesar in Acts 17 | Chris Ganski
Today, Chris Ganski shares a sermon on Acts 17:1-9. In the wake of the 2024 election, the book of Acts can be an excellent resource to consider the relationship between church and politics. In the context of Acts 17, does Caesar have anything to fear from the church? What is the church, and what does it mean to belong to the church? How does the church’s identity influence our understanding of the
Pastoring Post-Election | Caleb Campbell
Pastor Caleb Campbell joins the podcast to discuss how pastors might guide their congregations through the results of the 2024 election, drawing from his experience pastoring in Phoenix, AZ. He also discusses his book "Disarming Leviathan: Loving Your Christian Nationalist Neighbor." How can we helpfully engage those in their community who align with combative political perspectives? How
On Tolkien and Theology | Part II | Douglas Estes
Douglas Estes joins the podcast once again to discuss the second volume of a collection of essays he edited on theology in the works and worlds of J.R.R. Tolkien. We talk about the role of narrative fiction in shaping pastoral theology and how works like The Lord of the Rings can serve those who lead the church in the present day.Join us at the CPT Conference
Reading Scripture Faithfully | Kevin Vanhoozer
Kevin Vanhoozer joins us on the podcast this week to discuss his recent book, Mere Christian Hermeneutics: Transfiguring What It Means to Read the Bible Theologically. Christians across traditions and vocations have wondered what it means to read Scripture faithfully. Are there essential principles for reading the Bible as Scripture everywhere, at all times? What does it mean to read the Bible “l
What We're Reading — November 2024
For our November episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading:Claire Keegan, Small Things Like These (2021)James Davison Hunter, Democracy and Solidarity: On the Cultural Roots of America's Political Crisis (2024)Yuval Noah Harari, Nexus: A Brief History of Information Networks from the Stone Age to AI (2024)Kelly Kapic, You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Des
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Justin Allison
We are joined on the podcast today by Justin Allison. Justin shares his story of faith and how the Lord has worked through different seasons in his life, from a bout with illness as a child, to serving as a hospital chaplain, and now in his current ministry context. Join us at the CPT Conference
An Always-Reforming Church | Gavin Ortlund
This week, Gavin Ortlund joins us to discuss his recent book “What It Means to Be Protestant: The Case for an Always-Reforming Church.” Many evangelicals have recently begun to explore more sacramental and liturgical church traditions, such as Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. What underlying desires drive this renewed interest? Can these desires only be met outside of Protestantism? How c
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Cory Wilson
Cory Wilson joins the podcast to tell his story of becoming a pastor theologian. He shares about his work as a missionary in West Africa and how that significantly shaped the trajectory of his life and ministry. What is the nature of theology? Why do we pursue it? And why does it find its home in the church?Join us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Nathan Chang
Nathan Chang joins the podcast to tell his story about becoming a Pastor Theologian. Nathan shares about his experiencing growing up with deaf parents and in a deaf church and the impact that had on his vision of and for the church. He explains his journey of faith, his passion for the word of God, and his journey of education and ministry. Join us at the CPT Conference
From Ideology to Identity – Tim Keller and the Post-Christian Right | Collin Hansen
Collin Hansen, Editor-in-Chief of the Gospel Coalition, reflects on the political vision and legacy of Tim Keller. Politics is not the first subject anyone would associate with the life and work of pastor Tim Keller. And yet when you review his teaching, you find someone who may have written more deeply and insightfully about politics than any other contemporary pastor. In this session, Hansen exp
Commendable Conduct | Ryan Fields
Ryan Fields joins the podcast again to share a sermon he preached on 1 Peter 2:12, calling the church to pursue commendable conduct "among the Gentiles" in the turmoil of a divisive moment in America's public and ecclesial life. What does God call us, the church, to pursue, both among fellow believers and in the public sphere?Join us at the CPT Conference
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Chris Ganski
Chris Ganski shares his story of faith and ministry in one of our Becoming a Pastor Theologian episodes. He shares how his journey has been a series of continuing conversions towards deeper faith and how the Lord worked through various experiences to lead him to the pastorate. How does a PhD relate to pastoral ministry? How can a liberal academic context help to foster faithful evangelical witness
Learning the Art of Arts | Coleman Ford and Shawn J. Wilhite
Coleman Ford and Shawn J. Wilhite join the podcast to discuss their recently published book Ancient Wisdom and the Care of Souls: Learning the Art of Pastoral Ministry from the Church Fathers (Crossway, 2024). They talk about why the wrote the book and the need that it meets for busy pastors today. Why should we learn the art of soul care from the church Fathers? What corrections can they bring to
To Be His Image and Bear His Name | Carmen Joy Imes
Carmen Joy Imes joins the podcast to discuss her books Bearing God's Name and Being God's Image, as well as previewing what she will be talking about at this year's CPT conference Kingdom Politics. Carmen shares her story of faith, ministry, and education, as well as her heart to serve the church. What does it mean to be made as his image? What does it mean to bear his name? What mi
Sabbath Rest and Release | Jack Franicevich
Jack Franicevich, a parish priest in the Anglican Church of North America, joins the podcast to discuss his book, Sunday: Keeping Christian Time (Athanasius Press, 2023), that focuses on the nature of the Sabbath, what it means in the biblical narrative, and how the social imaginary of Christians might be formed by a deep understanding of the Sabbath. What does the Sabbath mean for rest? For the h
A Praying Life | Dan Brendsel
Dan Brendsel joins the podcast to discuss his recent book Answering Speech: The Life of Prayer as Response to God (Crossway, 2023). Paul commands the church to "pray without ceasing." What does that mean? In what ways do we misunderstand prayer? How might reframing prayer as a whole-life response reform and renew the lives of the saints and the life the church? All this and more on this
Walking the Text – Brad Gray
Joel is joined by Brad Gray, CEO of Walking the Text, a non-profit organization that specalizes in helping pastors and Christians understand the cultural, linguistic, and literary context of the Bible. What are the "lenses of context" for reading scripture? How does understanding this context correctly enable Christians to live out the vision of scripture and be conformed to Christ?SPONS
What We're Reading — July 2024
For our July episode on books, we, the CPT staff, have been reading:Jonathan Haidt, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (2024)Stephen King, 'Salem's Lot (1975)Cynthia L. Haven, Evolution of Desire: A Life of René Girard (2018)Join us at the CPT Conference
Ballots, the Bible, and the Witness of the Church
Kaitlyn Schiess joins the podcast to talk about her recent book The Ballot and the Bible: How Scripture Has Been Used and Abused in American Politics and Where We Go from Here (Brazos, 2023). She shares her background of education and how she began interacting with the question of the relationship between church and state, Christians and the politics of the world. What makes America a "Bible
The American Church in Crisis | Russell Moore
Russell Moore, Editor-in-Chief of Christianity Today, joins the podcast to talk about his journey of faith, major influences on his faith, and current reflections on the state of American Evangelicalism. Why is fiction so profoundly impactful on his thinking? Why is the American church prone to cultural nominalism and pragmatism? What does the American church need to repent of and convert to? What
Becoming a Pastor Theologian | Ryan Fields
Ryan Fields, senior pastor of Faith Evangelical Free Church, joins the podcast to tell his story of coming to faith and his journey of education and ministry. Join us at the CPT Conference
Rock-bound Pulpits | Matt O'Reilly
Matt O'Reilly joins the podcast to discuss and share the presentation he gave at the Reconstructing Methodism conference earlier this spring, explaining why the new Global Methodist church needs to be firmly planted on strong theological rock, with pastor theologians doing the necessary hard building work. In his presentation he focuses on why the task of preaching is necessarily theological,
Unity in a Divisive Age
Richard Lints joins the podcast to discuss his recent book Uncommon Unity: Wisdom for the Church in an Age of Division (Lexham 2022). Pressing into the given difference that exists, he argues for a deeper unity funded by the inclusion narrative of the gospel. Lints calls for a renewed unity that doesn't march according to the orders of the cultural calls for unity that prevail today. What kin
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