Podcasts about gospelbound

Collin Hansen joins Shades Midweek for the third time! Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, most recently Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation and Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential. He has published with the New York Times and the Washington Post and offered commentary for CNN, Fox News, NPR, BBC, ABC News, and PBS NewsHour. He edited Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor and The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books. He is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board. JM's Album Of The Week: Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago Bradford's Book Club: Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs To Be by Timothy P Carney

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, most recently Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation; Young, Restless, and Reformed, and A God-Sized Vision- Revival Stories that Stretch and Inspire. Among many other contributions, Collin Hansen also edited The New City Catechism Devotional. He is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board.

Collin Hansen has been chronicling the modern evangelical church for the better part of the last two decades. He is perhaps best known for his 2008 work on New Calvinism, entitled Young, Restless and Reformed. Collin most recently published a biography of the late Tim Keller, and currently is vice president for content and editor in chief for the Gospel Coalition. He also hosts the podcast, Gospelbound.  In this episode Dan talks with Collin about his work, historical movements within the American church, and the legacy of Tim Keller.  This episode was recorded prior to Tim Keller's passing. Listen to Collin's Podast, Gospelbound Purchase Collin's most recent work here: Tim Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation To find out more about Dr. Dan Doriani and the Center for Faith and Work, visit our website. Connect with us on Social. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithandworkstl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithandworkstl/ YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCuD3xLksTdBhMX0R3lTY4gQ Purchase Dan's latest book: https://www.prpbooks.com/book/work-that-makes-a-difference

Collin Hansen has been chronicling the modern evangelical church for the better part of the last two decades. He is perhaps best known for his 2008 work on New Calvinism, entitled Young, Restless and Reformed. Collin most recently published a biography of the late Tim Keller, and currently is vice president for content and editor in chief for the Gospel Coalition. He also hosts the podcast, Gospelbound.  In this episode Dan talks with Collin about his work, historical movements within the American church, and the legacy of Tim Keller.  This episode was recorded prior to Tim Keller's passing. Listen to Collin's Podast, Gospelbound Purchase Collin's most recent work here: Tim Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation To find out more about Dr. Dan Doriani and the Center for Faith and Work, visit our website. Connect with us on Social. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/faithandworkstl Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/faithandworkstl/ YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCuD3xLksTdBhMX0R3lTY4gQ Purchase Dan's latest book: https://www.prpbooks.com/book/work-that-makes-a-difference

Sometimes advice isn't just bad. It's delusional.That's what Jean Twenge writes in her new book, Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future. She makes this comment about “the most optimistic and self-confident generation in history.” My generation. The Millennials.Here's the advice we heard over and over growing up: “just be yourself,” “believe in yourself and anything is possible,” “express yourself,” and “you have to learn to love yourself before you can love someone else.” Her counterpoint: what if you're a jerk? Or even a serial killer? No, not anything is possible. You're delusional. She writes, “People who really love themselves are called narcissists, and they make horrible relationship partners.”That's tough medicine for us Millennials! But she's right. I felt understood in this book. And it helped me to understand other generations both older and younger. Because in many ways we have less in common with each other than ever before. Dr. Twenge, writes, “The breakneck speed of cultural change means that growing up today is a completely different experience from growing up in the 1950s or the 1980s—or even the 2000s.”Twenge is a professor of psychology at San Diego State University and widely published researcher. The book is full of important insights. She describes same-sex marriage as the most rapid change of public opinion on a social issue in history. Not coincidentally, she says all signs point to further retreat from religion. In place of religion we get politics. She warns, “World history suggests that transferring religious beliefs into politics will not end well.”I had to agree with her sense that optimism has been lost in the United States since the Great Recession. And that our society—built on abstract ideas—depends on trust and truth that we don't often enjoy today.Generations is a bracing book, and an important one, whether you're a parent or pastor or politician or just want to learn more about yourself and your neighbors. Jean joined me on Gospelbound to discuss how generational differences might be shaping America's future, why technology isn't all bad, and more. 

Healthy faith involves talking to God about others—steadfastly, watchfully, and thankfully—and talking to others about God—wisely, graciously and saltily. All of these behaviors flow out of a firm grasp of the Gospel of Jesus, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.Resources:- Molly Worthen on the Gospelbound podcast: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0CwAeiZm4EasJfNFJxikh5?si=-2DgXZqfQ6S1ze7iJ5Ujmw- Lectio365 app on the Apple App Store: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/lectio-365/id1483974820

“For as much as I'll miss, [Tim Keller] gave so much more—by God's grace—that no one or nothing can ever take away from us.” – Collin HansenMelissa Kruger hosts a special edition of Gospelbound where Collin Hansen reflects on the life and ministry of Tim Keller. Hansen talks about the first time he met Keller, his experience writing a book on Keller's spiritual formation, discovering how important prayer was in the latter part of Keller's spiritual journey, and more. Through Hansen's reflections, we gain insight into the profound impact Tim Keller has left behind.

For 20 years, I've felt like Molly Worthen and I have lived parallel lives. We graduated college the same year. We wrote for some of the same publications, on some of the same subjects. But I chose to head into church ministry, while she settled into the academy and earned her PhD from Yale.Molly is associate professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. You may have read her work in The New York Times, Slate, or Christianity Today.She is perhaps best known for her award-winning book, Apostles of Reason: The Crisis of Authority in American Evangelicalism (Oxford University Press, 2014.) In that book, Molly wrote that evangelicals “craved an intellectual authority that would quiet disagreement and dictate and plan for fixing everything that seemed broken with the world. They did not find it, and are still looking.”In his critical review for The Gospel Coalition, Al Mohler wrote, “This is a book to be reckoned with. In terms of its comprehensive grasp of the evangelical movement, its detailed research, and its serious approach to understanding the evangelical mind, Apostles of Reason stands nearly alone in the larger world of academic publishing. Any serious-minded evangelical should read it.” He also described the book as infuriating and described Molly's work as sometimes snarky toward evangelicals.Well, much has changed in a decade. Molly joined me on Gospelbound to discuss her scholarship, as well as her experience in the church and academy. 

The Gospel Coalition's Foundation Documents include a “theological vision for ministry,” originally drafted by Tim Keller. I had never heard of theological vision before I read this statement in 2007. Soon I learned that the concept originated by Richard Lints in his book The Fabric of Theology. Theological vision is the space between your doctrinal beliefs and your ministry programs. Theological vision helps you adapt your ministry to changing conditions while keeping centered on the unchanging gospel.Richard Lints has published a new book, Uncommon Unity: Wisdom for the Church in an Age of Division, which includes a foreword from Keller. In this book Lints exposes problems with the inclusion narrative of democracy and offers a better way forward to find unity amid unprecedented cultural diversity in our day.He writes, “The main thing I want to do in this book is to view the gospel story as the interpretive lens through which we best understand the telos of creation as a rich, deep, and complex unity-in-difference.”In this special season of Gospelbound, we're exploring in depth several key influences that appear in my book Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. Lints is himself one of those influences. He is senior consulting theologian at Redeemer City to City in New York City. Previously, he served as Andrew Mutch Distinguished Professor of Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, alma mater of Tim and Kathy Keller. I was grateful for this chance on Gospelbound to talk with him about unity, diversity, theological vision, and much more.

We welcome Collin Hansen to the show! Collin serves as vice president of content and editor-in-chief for The Gospel Coalition, hosts the Gospelbound podcast, and has written and edited many books. His most recent book is on Tim Keller, one of the early 21st-century cultural shepherds. Keller's life and work have influenced thousands if not millions. And this book is a look into the intellectual and spiritual influences that shaped him. It's an insightful and fun conversation that will inspire you, equip you, and make you laugh along the way. Collin and Travis talk about all things Keller: his home life, those who knew him in his formative years, and the authors, teachers, institutions, and leaders who influenced him. But this is not a conversation just about Tim, it's almost as much about Kathy. If that were all then it would be fantastic, but there is so much more! Tractors/tractor pulling, the Dakotas, failures in leadership, George W. Bush, Tolstoy, Anna Karenina, A Gentleman in Moscow, and Russian realist fiction!Get the book.Get some of Collin's other books.Sign up for the Apollos Watered newsletter.Help support the ministry of Apollos Watered and transform your world today!

Bill Edgar began his career as professor of apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in 1989 and retired last year in 2022. But his Westminster roots run even deeper than his 33-year tenure. Edgar's great-great-grandfather, an elder at First Presbyterian Church in New York City, helped endow Princeton Seminary in 1811. In 1929, Westminster was founded in response to Princeton's liberal drift. By 2017, Princeton Seminary had drifted so far that the school revoked Tim Keller's Kuyper Prize over his views on women's ordination and homosexuality. For more than two centuries, the Edgar family has been wrapped up in the drama of doctrine in Presbyterian seminary education.In this special season of Gospelbound, we're exploring several key influences that appear in my book Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. Tim Keller taught at Westminster from 1984 to 1989 and earlier earned his doctor of ministry through the school. Edgar's career has intersected with Keller's at numerous points, from Francis Schaeffer to Ed Clowney to Cornelius Van Til and the work of cultural apologetics. We discussed these topics and more in this episode of Gospelbound. 

Collin Hansen returns to the podcast to discuss his new book Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation! Collin Hansen serves as Vice President for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, most recently Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. He has published with the New York Times and The Washington Post and offered commentary for CNN, Fox News, NPR, BBC, ABC News, and PBS NewsHour. He is a member of Iron City Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and he is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board.  JM's Album Of The Week: Shades - You're Here With Me (Live In Studio)

“When it comes to theologians that contemporary church leaders should be reading, I don't know of a more important one than Herman Bavinck.” So says Timothy Keller in his endorsement of James Eglinton's 2020 book Bavinck: A Critical Biography. Keller first read Bavinck some 50 years ago in class with Roger Nicole at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. But not much of Bavinck's voluminous work has been translated until recent years. So, we live in a renaissance of appreciation for this Dutch theologian who died in 1921.Probably no one is more responsible for this renaissance than Eglinton, the Meldrum senior lecturer in Reformed theology at the University of Edinburgh. He also serves as a fellow for The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. In this special season of Gospelbound, we're exploring in depth several key influences that appear in my book Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. James Eglinton and I discussed neo-Calvinism, whether he disagrees with Bavinck about anything, a beginner's reading list, and Eglinton's upcoming projects. You'll find few high-level academics who can match Eglinton's gift for clear thinking and teaching, as you'll hear in this interview.

The ride home with John & Kathy! Buckle in for a Monday full! Like… This Week in the Nation's Capitol (Biden's surprise visit to Ukraine ... + ... Trip logistics ... + ... 1-yr anniversary of Russian invasion ... + ... Jimmy Carter hospice ... + ... Search for downed objects called off) ... GUEST Greg Clugston ... SRN White House correspondent Asbury Univ isn't the 1st campus revival ... GUEST Collin Hansen ... VP for content & editor-in-chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as Exec Dir of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics ... hosts the Gospelbound podcast & has contributed to books, including “Timothy Keller: His Spiritual & Intellectual Formation,” and “Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential” Revival? An eyewitness account of the Kentucky prayer service at Asbury Univ ... GUEST Rev Kevin Gourley ... Memorial Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church Plus Does This Make Sense? And more! Thanks for riding with us on The Ride Home with John & Kathy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The ride home with John & Kathy! Buckle in for a Monday full! Like… This Week in the Nation's Capitol (Biden's surprise visit to Ukraine ... + ... Trip logistics ... + ... 1-yr anniversary of Russian invasion ... + ... Jimmy Carter hospice ... + ... Search for downed objects called off) ... GUEST Greg Clugston ... SRN White House correspondent Asbury Univ isn't the 1st campus revival ... GUEST Collin Hansen ... VP for content & editor-in-chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as Exec Dir of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics ... hosts the Gospelbound podcast & has contributed to books, including “Timothy Keller: His Spiritual & Intellectual Formation,” and “Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential” Revival? An eyewitness account of the Kentucky prayer service at Asbury Univ ... GUEST Rev Kevin Gourley ... Memorial Park Evangelical Presbyterian Church Plus Does This Make Sense? And more! Thanks for riding with us on The Ride Home with John & Kathy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Interested in further study of the Bible? Join us at Logos Bible Software. Sign up to attend Westminster Seminary California's Seminary for a Day here! Do you want to retrieve our Classical Protestant theology and heritage? Sign up for a degree program or individual classes at the Davenant Institute by following this link here. Please help support the show on our Patreon Page! WELCOME TO BOOK CLUB! MEET THE AUTHOR Collin Hansen serves as vice president of content and editor in chief for The Gospel Coalition. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and edited many books. He earned an MDiv at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and an undergraduate degree in journalism and history from Northwestern University. He is an adjunct professor of apologetics and co-chair of the advisory board at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. We want to thank Zondervan for their help in setting up this interview and providing us with the necessary materials for this interview Purchase the book(s) here: Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation Find Timothy Keller's books here. Find Edmund Clowney's books here. Have Feedback or Questions? Email us at: guiltgracepod@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: @guiltgracepod Follow us on Twitter: @guiltgracepod Find us on YouTube: Guilt Grace Gratitude Podcast Please rate and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use! Looking for a Reformed Church? North American Presbyterian & Reformed Churches --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gggpodcast/support

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor-in-chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, most recently Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation and Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential.He has published with the New York Times and the Washington Post and offered commentary for CNN, Fox News, NPR, BBC, ABC News, and PBS NewsHour. He edited Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor and The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books.He is a member of Iron City Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and he is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board.

In their booklet “Gospel-Centered Ministry,” TGC cofounders Don Carson and Tim Keller describe how the redemptive story of Scripture, or biblical theology, culminates in Jesus Christ and his gospel. And from Christ, that gospel then guides us in how we live every aspect of our lives.I've never seen a book do this work more effectively than Christopher Watkin's Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life. It's simply one of the best books I've ever read. Not that the book is simple, at nearly 700 pages. It's profound in its depth of insight drawn from observation of culture as well as close reading of Scripture. Watkin does not try to explain and defend the Bible to the culture. Instead, he seeks to analyze and critique the culture through the Bible. He writes, “There is nothing quite so radically subversive today as sound doctrine and godly living.”Tim Keller wrote the foreword for Biblical Critical Theory. And in this special season of Gospelbound, we're exploring, in depth, several key influences that appear in my book Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation (Zondervan Reflective). Watkin teaches at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, and Hansen asks him about the philosopher Charles Taylor and social criticism, which have played such a key role in Keller's intellectual formation especially since the mid-2000s. Watkin is an inaugural Fellow for The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics, and he'll be leading an interactive, 8-session online cohort on Biblical Critical Theory that starts on May 10.

In his forthcoming book, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation,  Collin Hansen aims to add to our understanding of evangelical history in the second half of the 20th century into the early 21st century. Keller's life spans and intersects with many of the most significant people, events, and trends within Christianity during the last 75 years.The same can be said of John Piper, who along with Keller is a founding Council member of The Gospel Coalition. Piper is nearly five years older than Keller. Between them, they've studied in many of the most influential institutions of the post-war “new evangelicalism,” such as Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. They themselves have built several of the most influential institutions of the “new Calvinism,” such as Bethlehem College and Seminary, Desiring God, and The Gospel Coalition.They share something else significant in common: both list Jonathan Edwards and C. S. Lewis among their top influences. In this special season of Gospelbound, we're exploring, in depth, several key influences that appear in Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. John Piper joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss Edwards, Lewis, evangelical feminism, and the reception to his own expansive writing and teaching.

In this unique episode of Gospelbound, pastor Jim Davis from Orlando Grace Church invites Collin Hansen into the interview spotlight to go behind the scenes of writing Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation.Jim Davis says, "Five hundred years from now, maybe two pastors or theologians will be remembered. I believe that Tim Keller will be one of them."Keller's influence comes from his sermons, books, and teaching as well as founding Redeemer Presbyterian Church, The Gospel Coalition, and Redeemer City to City. The book traces this influence back to the people and ideas that have shaped Keller. Jim Davis asked Collin Hansen how Tim Keller has influenced his life and ministry, the most surprising things Hansen discovered as he researched and wrote the book, Keller's legacy 100 years from now, and more.When you pre-order Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation, you'll receive:Exclusive video (more than 120 minutes) with accompanying 65-page ebook reflecting on key themes in Tim Keller's Center Church. Contributors include Michael Horton, Alan Hirsch, and Gabriel Salguero, all in conversation with Tim Keller.The 10 Most Important Christian Books Written within My Lifetime, a list by Tim KellerThe Essential Tim Keller: Recommended Reading, a list by Collin HansenThe first three chapters of Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation (book and audiobook)An invitation to a virtual book discussion and Q&A with Collin Hansen (February 2023)Learn more and submit your pre-order to download this bonus content at TimothyKellerBook.com. 

In this special edition episode, Collin Hansen is joined by Melissa Kruger as they look back on the big stories and trends of 2022, discuss how God has moved in and through their ministries, and share books that have stuck with them. They also take some time to thank you, their listeners, for encouraging them in the work of Gospelbound and Let's Talk.To listen to the full episode on the Gospelbound podcast, click here. 

In this special edition episode of Gospelbound, Collin Hansen is joined by Melissa Kruger as they look back on the big stories and trends of 2022, discuss how God has moved in and through their ministries, and share books that have stuck with them. They also take some time to thank you, their listeners, for encouraging them in the work of Gospelbound and Let's Talk.We discuss:Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin Hansen, and the idea of self-forgetfulness (5:36)His Grace Is Enough by Melissa Kruger, written for kids and young adults alike (10:05)The internet revolution and exposing abuse in the church (15:40)How we can love the church unabashedly and with awareness (19:02)Gospel advancement in the midst of world conflict (20:11)2022, the year that history began again (21:55)The state of the church in Russia and Ukraine (23:26)The state of the church in China (24:20)How culture tries to answer the reason for hopelessness and lostness (31:27)How the church can positively affect kids and teens (36:33)How do parents discuss biblical sexual ethics with their teens? (40:00)The overturning of Roe v. Wade (48:19)The most memorable Gospelbound interviews of 2022 (54:52)Upcoming Gospelbound interviews for 2023 (1:01:00)Why this episode of Let's Talk was the most downloaded (1:02:36)Books that have stuck with us (1:06:49)How the internet can help you grow your ministry (1:23:40)Favorite things (1:28:55)Mentioned in this episode:"My Top 10 Theology Stories of 2022" by Collin Hansen (article)Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation by Collin HansenHis Grace Is Enough by Melissa KrugerSocial Sanity in an Insta World by Sarah Eekhoff ZylstraBully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church by Michael J. Kruger"Transformation of a Transgender Teen" by Sarah Zylstra (article)"Defiant Faith in the Face of Suffering" with Bill and Will Kynes (podcast)"Does My Son Know You?" with Jonathan Tjarks (podcast)"Everything Sad Is Untrue" with Daniel Nayeri (podcast)"Let's Talk: When Others Fall Away" (podcast episode) 

In this interview I discuss what Christians can learn today from Tim Keller's ministry with Collin Hansen, author of Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation. Buy Collin's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Timothy-Keller-Spiritual-Intellectual-Formation/dp/0310128684/truthunites-20 Another book referenced is Chris Watkin's Biblical Critical Theory: How the Bible's Unfolding Story Makes Sense of Modern Life and Culture: https://www.amazon.com/Biblical-Critical-Theory-Unfolding-Culture/dp/0310128722/truthunites-20 Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, including Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential. He has published with the New York Times and the Washington Post and offered commentary for CNN, Fox News, NPR, BBC, ABC News, and PBS NewsHour. He is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also co-chairs the advisory board. Truth Unites is a mixture of apologetics and theology, with an irenic focus. Gavin Ortlund (PhD, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Ojai. SUPPORT: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/truthunites One time donation: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/truthunites FOLLOW: Twitter: https://twitter.com/gavinortlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TruthUnitesPage/ Website: https://gavinortlund.com/

Jen Pollock Michel offers eight habits for reimagining productivity, resisting hurry, and practicing peace in her latest book, In Good Time. She invites us to seek wisdom that is more concerned with ethical practice than Type-A respectability. She helps us recognize that we detest waiting because we have to believe that God is acting when we are not.On this 100th episode of the Gospelbound podcast, Collin Hansen and Jen Pollock Michel discuss why we should redefine busyness and how to say yes to the right things.

“We would rather have a leader who will beat up our enemies than one who will tenderly care for the sheep,” Michael Kruger writes in his new book, Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church, published by Zondervan. Spiritual abuse is a relatively new and amorphous concept. Kruger defines it this way:Spiritual abuse is when a spiritual leader—such as a pastor, elder, or head of a Christian organization—wields his position of spiritual authority in such a way that he manipulates, domineers, bullies, and intimidates those under him as a means of maintaining his own power and control, even if he is convinced he is seeking biblical and kingdom-related goals.It's the opposite of Jesus and his paradoxical ministry model. He didn't lead by demanding his rights but by giving them up. Mike joined me on Gospelbound to discuss how to train pastors who won't abuse their flocks, why he focuses on Reformed churches, whether he's changed his own leadership, and more.

In his new book, The Thrill of Orthodoxy: Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith, Trevin Wax writes, “The thrill of orthodoxy lies in its challenge. We are called to become not merely nice neighbors who are kind and polite, but holy people who look more and more like Jesus.”Trevin Wax joined Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss why heresy hunters turn out to be heretics, how we can know if something is orthodox, and why he's confident the future belongs to the orthodox.

Thomas Jefferson, whose lofty writings on freedom when compared to his practice of slaveholding are part of the real “wall of separation” in American politics and religion. These contradictions make him the subject of many biographies, including the most recent from Thomas Kidd: Thomas Jefferson: A Biography of Spirit and Flesh. Dr. Kidd is research professor of church history at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City and the author of many outstanding works.Thomas Kidd joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss Jefferson's views on Christianity and politics. They also talk a bit about how Christians should approach history in general.

In the digital age, it feels like life moves too far, too fast.That's why we need wise guides such as Jay K. Kim, author of Analog Christian: Cultivating Contentment, Resilience, and Wisdom in the Digital Age. Jay writes, “This is where we are in the digital age, existing in an untenable state of unceasing connection to the curated lives of others—all of their highlights, none of their low-lights.”Perhaps the simple solution would be to spend more time offline. But our colorful smartphones make the real world look grayscale in comparison. Jay writes, “Because much of life in the real world is uncomfortable, awkward, or boring, so we opt for digital escape. We increasingly prefer and default to worlds of our own making.”You might know Jay from his previous book, Analog Church. He is lead pastor of teaching at WestGate Church in Silicon Valley and teacher-in-residence at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California. Jay joined me on Gospelbound to discuss comparison and contempt, love on the move, the design of social media, hate and hurt, chronological snobbery, and more.

His latest book, Where the Light Fell: A Memoir, is the culmination of more than 50 years for Philip Yancey as a Christian writer. In it, you'll see a clear display of his two life themes—suffering and grace—which characterize all his books.Where the Light Fell is remarkably honest as Yancey draws inspiration from God's Word. He writes, “I know of no more real or honest book than the Bible, which hides none of its characters' flaws.”Yancey joined Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss the hinge moment of his life, the scar of his father, the reconstruction of his faith, and more.

In the new book, Faith in the Wilderness: Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church, Hannah Nation and co-editor, Simon Liu, offer a perspective of what we can learn from Chinese pastors who are facing persecution.Nation says, “We descendants of Christendom fear cultural marginalization, but let us remember that those on the margins often preach the gospel more boldly, fearlessly, and humbly than those at the center, for they have nothing to lose and no stakeholders to upset.”Hannah Nation joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss persecution, pestilence, judgment, and justification.

There is almost nothing so beautiful as forgiveness—but, must we choose between forgiveness and justice? Does forgiveness merely empower abusers?Enter Tim Keller in his latest book, Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? The bestselling author and co-founder of The Gospel Coalition doesn't neglect the cost of forgiveness. He writes, “Forgiveness is always a form of voluntary suffering that brings about a greater good.” Sometimes that greater good accrues to the one who forgives. It may feel like an optional exercise, but only if we don't consider the alternative. Tim Keller joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss what happens when a society doesn't forgive, whether it's ever ok not to forgive, the two stages of forgiveness, and more.

In Jesus through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the Lord, published by The Gospel Coalition, Rebecca McLaughlin explores the life-changing accounts of women who met the Lord. By entering the stories of the named and unnamed women in the Gospels, this book gives readers a unique lens to see Jesus as these women did and marvel at how he loved them in return.Rebecca McLaughlin joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss the Gnostic Gospels, feminism, and more.  

In 2009, around 25 percent of American high school students said they had “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.” By 2021, it was up to 44 percent, the highest level of teenage sadness ever recorded. For girls, the number was even higher: 57 percent.What could account for such a dramatic change between 2009 and today?If you looked at a group of teenagers then and now, the main difference you'd see is the modern teens hunched over their smartphones.These stats come from an episode of TGC's Recorded podcast, in which Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra shares the stories of young women being shaped by social media. She talks directly to Gen Z about what they think, feel, and believe.Sarah has also edited a book, Social Sanity in an Insta World (TGC, 2022) that brings biblical and theological perspectives to bear on our social media use. Contributors include Melissa Kruger, Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, and Laura Wifler. Sarah is senior writer for The Gospel Coalition and coauthor with me of the book Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age. She lives with her husband and sons outside Chicago.Sarah joined me on Gospelbound to discuss influencers, fasting, and taking advice from strangers.

You are not in control. You never have been. You never will be.That fact of life is tough for many of us to swallow. “The cultural air I breathe has trained me to think that life should be more carefree, predictable, and in control than it is,” Scott Sauls writes in his new book, Beautiful People Don't Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans, (Zondervan). Scott Sauls is senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of six books. Scott writes with a kind of vulnerability that is not common for many authors, let alone pastors. He tells us that we can find him in the church basement with the marginal characters Jesus seemed to attract. “He wounds us sometimes,” Scott admits, “but always and only to heal us.” Just look around the room sometime when your church sings “It Is Well.” You'll notice it's those who suffered most who sing the loudest. They have forsaken their need to control for the peace of faith. Scott Sauls joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to share what church members would be surprised to learn about their pastors, why deep faith feels like defeat, and how affliction can preach better than a sermon.

In his book, Everything Sad Is Untrue, Daniel Nayeri offers readers a refugee's inside look at religion and geo-politics through his personal tale of a boy separated from his father and the only world he knew and loved. A world that he's not even sure he can remember.But it's Daniel's mother who is the hero of this book, which released in 2020 and was named a book of the year by The New York Times, NPR, and The Wall Street Journal. Her conversion was a death sentence in Iran, so the family fled—without her baffled husband.Daniel Nayeri joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss love, justice, eschatology, and the widespread acclaim for his work.

As Christ's church continues to expand across the world, so does persecution.In this episode of Gospelbound from TGCW22, Collin Hansen talks with Karen Ellis and Kori Porter about how God's people fight for faith when it can cost their lives. Through this discussion, we'll learn how other Christians can support the persecuted church in prayer and advocacy.

On today's bonus episode of Gospelbound, we're featuring a selection from TGC's narrative podcast, Recorded. In "Escape from Kabul", TGC senior writer Sarah Zylstra tells the story of God's dramatic work through the underground church in Afghanistan. To hear the full episode, subscribe to Recorded on Apple Podcasts. 

In her book, Find Your People: Building Deep Community in a Lonely World, bestselling author Jennie Allen describes our problem today like this:“We fill a small, little crevice called home with everything we could possibly need, we keep our doors locked tight, and we feel all safe and sound. But we've completely cut ourselves off from people outside our little self-protective world.”Jennie Allen joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss the difference between complaining and vulnerability, the importance of time, and the complication of ministry relationships.

In his book, Rembrandt Is in the Wind: Learning to Love Art through the Eyes of Faith, Russ Ramsey  helps his readers learn how to appreciate art without needing to be an expert.  “If you have not yet learned to love beauty,” he writes, “learn to love it late.” We're made to achieve perfection, at least on the other side of glory, he says. Beauty is glimpsing a preview of that perfection in what we make here and now of goodness and truth. God didn't need to make this world beautiful. He didn't need to make humans in his image, concerned with goodness and truth. But he did, so that beauty might awaken us from spiritual stupor. On this episode of Gospelbound, Russ Ramsey and Collin Hansen discuss Rembrandt and Van Gogh, Kincaid and Caravaggio, and how appreciating art mirrors the Christian life. 

If you live in the West, in much of Europe or North America or Australia, you don't know the world apart from Christianity. It's the water you swim in, the air you breathe.That's the main point of Glen Scrivener's new book, The Air We Breathe: How We All Came to Believe in Freedom, Kindness, Progress, and Equality, published by The Good Book Company. Glen is an ordained Church of England minister and evangelist who preaches Christ through writing, speaking, and online media.Glen Scrivener joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss the patriarchy, consent, Christianity for weirdos, and more.

Starting May 4, The Gospel Coalition is releasing a five-part video debate series called the "Good Faith Debates", featuring prominent Christian thinkers discussing some of the most divisive issues facing the church today—ranging from gun control to woke churches to abortion to racial injustice to evangelical self-identity.When we keep the gospel central, we can disagree on lesser but still important matters in good faith. In the Good Faith Debates, we hope to model this—showing that it's possible for two Christians, united around the gospel, to engage in charitable conversation even amid substantive disagreement.The moderator of these debates is Jim Davis, teaching pastor at Orlando Grace Church and host of the As in Heaven podcast. He joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss what surprised him, what helped him as a pastor, and whether he changed his mind on anything, among other issues.

What happens when you get diagnosed in April 2021 at age 33 with a rare form of cancer—so rare, in fact, that the odds of contracting it are 25 million to 1? What happens when the doctors can't tell you if you have five months or five years to live? And what happens with your son, born at the end of March 2020 at the outset of a global pandemic?That's the story of Jonathan Tjarks, who has covered basketball for The Ringer since 2016 and is a host on The Ringer NBA Show. He loves Jesus and Dallas, in that order. And he wrote about cancer, his son, and his church in a remarkable essay for The Ringer called “Does My Son Know You?” In his essay, Tjarks concludes this way:“I have already told some of my friends: When I see you in heaven, there's only one thing I'm going to ask—Were you good to my son and my wife? Were you there for them? Does my son know you?”Jonathan Tjarks joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss basketball, his journalistic career, and the reception to his memorable essay.

In singer-songwriter Sandra McCracken's new book, “Send Out Your Light: The Illuminating Power of Scripture and Song”, you'll find the same depth of spiritual insight and emotion that characterize her songs. She writes, “If we sing songs with thin ideas, superficial hopes, and more hype than authenticity, we will find ourselves depleted in the times when we need some truth to fall back on. We need songs sturdy enough to sing at the bedside of a dying friend.”Sandra joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss embodied worship, tortured artists, the Nashville sound, deconstruction, and more.

In his latest book, Recovering Our Sanity: How the Fear of God Conquers the Fears that Divide Us, Michael Horton argues that we can only conquer the wrong kinds of fear by embracing the right kind of fear, and that's what he means by sanity.For Horton, revival breaks out when Christians show up to church and hear from God and his Word. It's so simple, and that's his point. We don't need spectacular miracles—we need basic obedience.Michael Horton joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss preaching and practicing, hating and fearing, persecution and apostasy, among other serious topics.

Did education give you a love of learning and a desire to cultivate your mind over a lifetime? Or did you learn how to pass tests to graduate and get a job?These goals don't need to be mutually exclusive, but they are for many of us. Any serious attempt at reforming Christian political witness must include a vision for education. Jake Meador offers such a classical vision for education but also ventures into sex, race, technology, family, the environment, and more in his new book, What Are Christians For? Life Together at the End of the World, published by IVP.Jake Meador joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss industrialism, technology, debt, whiteness, and more.

Jordan Raynor offers seven biblical principles for being purposeful, present, and wildly productive in his new book, Redeeming Your Time (WaterBrook). These principles include starting with the Word, eliminating all hurry, and prioritizing your “yes.” You'll also learn in this book how to say no more often. The book mixes time-tested productivity tips with timeless biblical wisdom.Raynor joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss selective ignorance, inbox zero, and how to be productive by doing less and resting more.

In his new book, You're Only Human: How Your Limits Reflect God's Design and Why That's Good News ,Kelly Kapic aims to lift from our shoulders the sense that we carry the weight of the world.Kapic, a professor of theological studies at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, situates theological truth in contrast with cultural expectations. He writes, “What an irony that our modern age, on the one hand, exhausts us by its calls for complete self-expression and, on the other hand, suffocates us by its pressures to conform.”Kelly Kapic joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss the good news of human limits, living in the moment, the fear of the Lord, and our identity in Christ.

In his latest book, Why God Makes Sense in a World that Doesn't: The Beauty of Christian Theism (Baker Academic), Gavin Ortlund discusses the problem of evil and deconstructs arguments against Christianity, while also displaying the beauty of God.Gavin Ortlund joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss our deepest intuitions, beauty, creation, love, and all kinds of other good stuff.

Proverbs 31 commends men who do justice—men of wisdom, self-control, and courage. In his new book, The Intentional Father: A Practical Guide to Raise Sons of Courage and Character (Baker), Jon Tyson writes, “Men who use their energy like this, courageous men, wise men, self-controlled men, just men—these kinds of men are the need of the hour." Tyson's book equips intentional fathers to help their sons reach their redemptive potential.In this episode of Gospelbound, Collin Hansen and Jon Tyson discuss fatherhood, risk, discipleship, and more. 

This week on Gospelbound, Collin Hansen is joined by Dave Harvey, president of Great Commission Collective, a church-planting ministry and author of the new book, The Plurality Principle: How to Build and Maintain a Thriving Church Leadership Team (Crossway, TGC). Dave brings more than 30 years of pastoral ministry to this conversation and gives wise counsel for pastors and other church leaders hoping to build thriving leadership teams. Dave argues that “the quality of your elder plurality determines the health of your church.”

In his new book, Talking about Race: Gospel Hope for Hard Conversations (Zondervan Reflective), Isaac Adams argues that if we could just hold our beliefs—and also our tongues—loving across racial lines in the American church “could become one of the most powerful testimonies to a divided and dividing world.” Isaac joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to explain blocking, race as a “Velcro issue,” abortion, cultural preferences, and the mission of the church, among other topics.

In his new book, The Flourishing Pastor: Recovering the Lost Art of Shepherd Leadership (IVP), Tom Nelson observes a dripping irony. Though surrounded by many people, pastors are often intensely lonely and socially isolated. They work with the things of God but are tempted by the seduction of accomplishment at the expense of intimacy with God.Shepherd leaders, according to Nelson, are forged on the anvil of obscurity and refined in the crucible of visibility. They get into trouble when they attend more to the church than to their own soul, or when they get sucked into partisan politics and lose track of their disciple-making vision.Tom Nelson joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss flourishing pastors, congregational expectations, friendship, failure, Dairy Queen, and much more. 

Sign-up for my free 20 day devotional, The Word Before Work Foundations, at http://TWBWFoundations.com What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. (1 Corinthians 3:5-7)I was recently reading Gospelbound by the editors of The Gospel Coalition when I came across these words from John Piper: “My job is faithfulness. God's is fruitfulness.”I can't tell you how many times I have shared that quote in the past couple of months. It so beautifully encapsulates an idea I have written about many times before—namely that Christ-followers ought to have a unique relationship with the word “hustle.”Let me explain.The rise of the increasingly dominant “hustle culture” has been well documented for years now. The idea is that if you want things to happen in your career, you have to hustle and make them happen!As we'll see throughout this series, there are tons of passages of Scripture that command us to work hard—to hustle if you will. This is a point of commonality we can celebrate with our hustle-loving friends, Christian or not. But here's where Christ-followers ought to diverge significantly from the hustle culture masses. While we embrace the biblical command to work hard, we simultaneously recognize that it is God alone who produces results in our work. As Paul says in today's passage, we can “plant” and “water” all we want, but at the end of the day it is “only God who makes things grow.”The fourth chapter of Nehemiah offers us a concrete picture of what this looks like. Nehemiah's opponents were gearing up for an attack to stop God's people from rebuilding Jerusalem's walls. What did Nehemiah and company do in response? Nehemiah says, “We prayed to our God AND posted a guard day and night to meet this threat” (Nehemiah 4:9). In other words, they trusted in God and hustled to work to protect themselves.As Christians, we have a unique responsibility to embrace the tension between trusting in God to produce fruit through our work and faithfully hustling in accordance with his commands. How do we embrace that tension well? That's the question we'll explore over the next few weeks.

Welcome to a preview special edition of Gospelbound and Let's Talk. Join Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger, hosts of Gospelbound and the Let's Talk podcast as they discuss a bonus season-end episode of these two TGC podcasts, which launched in 2020. To listen to this entire hour-long episode featuring the top 10 Theology Stories of 2021, head over to the Gospel Bound podcast.

Welcome to a special edition of Gospelbound and Let's Talk! Join hosts Collin Hansen and Melissa Kruger as they discuss their favorite recent reads and the top 10 theology stories of 2021. They also preview the year ahead in 2022—and reveal a surprise for 2023. Thank you for listening and encouraging us in this work!09:20 Deconstruction14:52 Cultural and historical shape of evangelicalism scrutinized15:58 The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill25:31 Vaccines and Covid mandates31:32 Christian Nationalism and the U.S. Capitol storming39:15 2021 Gospelbound highlights39:35 What's Next for Our Culture with COVID: Andy Crouch40:30 How the New Fundamentalisms Divide Us: Morty Schapiro and Saul Morson41:25 Why Americans Quit Church: Ryan Burge44:50 TGC Book Awards46:20 The Bomber Mafia by Malcom Gladwell49:25 How Christianity Transformed the World by Sharon James51:46 TGC 2022 Women's Conference54:23 TGC 2023 Conference

What ails your church? Hopefully the answer doesn't come too quickly! Hopefully your church is the picture of health, where everyone's growing in love of God and love of neighbor. Or maybe your church has a discipleship disease. If so, then JT English can help with his new book, Deep Discipleship: How the Church Can Make Whole Disciples of Jesus, published by B&H. English serves as the lead pastor of Storyline Fellowship in Arvada, Colorado. Previously, JT served as a pastor at The Village Church in Flower Mound, Texas, where he founded and directed The Village Church Institute, which is committed to theological education in the local church JT sees churches worried about being irrelevant, worried they're asking too much of busy people. Many Christians seem to think the church has gotten too deep. But JT English couldn't disagree more! As you might guess from his book title, he says most churches aren't nearly deep enough. He writes: People are leaving not because we have given them too much but because we have given them far too little. They are leaving the church because we have not given them any reason to stay. We are treating the symptoms of the wrong disease. Deep discipleship is about giving people more Bible, not less; more theology, not less; more spiritual disciplines, not less; more gospel, not less; more Christ, not less. The good news is that deep discipleship does not require massive resources, a large congregation, or an enormous ministry staff. It starts with not apologizing when we ask Christians to make commitments. JT joins me now on Gospelbound to discuss Sunday school and small groups, travel baseball, active learning, and commissioning culture.

During the last decade, one in 20 Americans has shifted from identifying with a religion to claiming “nothing in particular.” And this group is also the least likely of any position on religion to hold at least a bachelor's degree.Those are just two of the many findings that jump from the page in Ryan Burge's new book, The Nones: Where They Came From, Who They Are, and Where They Are Going, published by Fortress Press. Together with atheists and agnostics, sociologists categorize the “nothing in particular” group as “nones.”Today, as many Americans don't affiliate with any church as belong to any major religious group. We're talking about one of the largest religious trends, if not the largest, in the last 40 years. Burge's book seeks to explain how these so-called nones grew from statistically irrelevant to around one-quarter of the entire American population.Burge is an assistant professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University. And he's also been a pastor in the same American Baptist Church for the last 13 years. So his work goes beyond the descriptive into the prescriptive. For example, he observes that among the nones, Christians should focus on this “nothing in particular” group, which is open to returning to religion.He joins me on Gospelbound to discuss the implications of his findings for evangelicals, for Black Protestants, for the mainline, and for politics. I'll also ask him why so many Americans left the church between 1991 and 1996 and his best guess at the most significant cause behind this trend.

“Our cause is sacred. How can we doubt it, when we know it has been consecrated by a holy baptism of fire and blood?”So said a North Carolina minister about the Confederacy in the aftermath of the South's defeat at the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. This arresting quote contributes to the title of James P. Byrd's new book, A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood: The Bible and the American Civil War, published by Oxford. He writes, “This is a book about how Americans enlisted the Bible in the nation's most bloody and arguably most biblically infused war.”Byrd is chair of the graduate department of religion and associate professor of American religious history at Vanderbilt University Divinity School. And if you're interested in this book you need to also pick up his book Sacred Scripture, Sacred War: The Bible and the American Revolution.Just at the Battle of Antietam, four-times as many American soldiers as died as 80 years later on the beaches of Normandy in World War II. Twice as many Americans died that one horrible day outside Sharpsburg, Maryland, as in the War of 1812, Mexican War, and Spanish American War combined. Americans should have known from the Bible that civil wars are the worst wars, and even God's chosen nations could self-destruct, Byrd argues. They may not have expected such a tragedy at the outset of the war. But by the end they had draped the whole conflict in Scripture, culminating with Father Abraham killed on Good Friday after setting the captives free. Byrd writes, “Americans were never in more disagreement over the Bible, and yet never more in agreement that the Bible proved the sacredness of war.”Byrd joins me on Gospelbound to discuss the jeremiad, Achan, Exodus, camp revivals, Frederick Douglass, and abolitionist views of inerrancy.

“Do I exist for God or does God exist for me?” That's the question that I think animates Dean Inserra's new book, Getting Over Yourself: Trading Believe-in-Yourself Religion for Christ-Centered Christianity, published by Moody. Or, maybe it's this line: “We can't make Christianity cooler.”He explains his argument this way: “The entire premise of this book is that spiritual victory and earthly victory are not synonymous.” He identifies a new kind of prosperity gospel that promises earthly success along with spiritual abundance. But he can find no such Christianity in the Bible.Dean serves as founding pastor of City Church in Tallahassee, Florida. And I thought this description explains what I appreciate about his book. Dean writes, “In a therapeutic society, the achievement of self-fulfillment with God's apparent stamp of approval is the perfect recipe for Christians to desire the things of this world while still feeling as if they are close to Jesus and He is very pleased. It appeases our need to know God isn't mad at us while giving us license to continue on making much of ourselves.”So what's his alternative? Dean says, “I want to win people with a message that would still apply if my church was in a third world country, meeting in secret with nothing more than a single, shared Bible: the message of Jesus Christ crucified, risen, and ascended.”Dean joins me now on Gospelbound to discuss the divide between seminary classrooms and popular Christianity, Instagram as instigator in crisis counseling, and why he doesn't think God wants us to be happy.

Breaking news! (Insert dramatic gong sound here.) Find out if you're on the right side of history. Learn about the latest celebrity you should cancel for the wrong view on oat milk. After this commercial break.  Not so fast says Jeffrey Bilbro, editor in chief of Front Porch Republic and the author of the new book Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News, published by IVP Academic. Bilbro warns that “objects on screen are more distant than they appear,” and that “the public sphere is simply not conducive to the formation of loving, sustaining communities.” He writes this:  When the news sets itself up as the light of the world, it is usurping the role that rightly belongs only to the Word proclaimed in the gospel. But when the news helps us attend together to the ongoing work of this Word, it plays a vital role in enabling us to love our neighbors. So take a walk! Carve some wood. Spend time in embodied communities. And don't worry too much about that next election, he says:Epistemic humility, particularly regarding the workings of Providence, requires us to acknowledge that even when our candidate loses, or when a court case is decided in a way that seems wrong, or when tragedy strikes, God is still working out his will—and he cannot be defeated. The reverse holds true as well: it may be that just when we think we are winning, we are going astray from God's kingdom. A high view of Providence and a chastened sense of our ability to recognize God's methods of victory frees us from worrying about whether a given event is good or bad. Bilbro joins me on Gospelbound to discuss the perverse incentives of our media ecosystem, holy apathy, and whether anything good can come from TV news. 

Blair Linne's mother planned to abort her before a Baptist minister's words changed her mother's mind. Linne moved 25 times before she set out on her own as an adult. She did not grow up with a father. I won't spoil her new book, Finding My Father: How the Gospel Heals the Pain of Fatherlessness, published by The Good Book Company. But it's a raw, sometimes shocking memoir with a surprise ending.Blair Linne describes fathers as a covering, a shield from danger. But where do you go when your dad needs a place to hide, too? Linne points all of us, no matter how good or bad our dad, to the hope of the gospel. We're not defined by the consequences of fatherlessness, Blair writes:We are not bound to repeat those mistakes and pass on the consequences to another generation. The cross can break any consequences of the sin of the generation before, so that it is not felt by the generation to come.And she points us to the church, where we find our family after God becomes our Father. Linne writes, “[A]ll it takes is a Christian village to break the one-parent-absent-father stranglehold that can burden a child.”Blair Linne joins me on Gospelbound to discuss systemic injustice and personal responsibility, victims and rebels, diverse churches, and family trees.

We're long past the time when we could assume even that dedicated believers in Jesus Christ understood why they should bother with church. The number who identify as Christians is far larger than the number who attend a weekly meeting. Even then, the bulk of the serving and giving in our churches tends to be done by only a few. So it's not as if COVID-19 suddenly convinced Christians they didn't need church. Millions had already made that decision even before gathering involved online registration, social distancing, and masks. Last year church membership fell to less than 50 percent for the first time since Gallup started recording the data 80 years ago.COVID-19 accelerated a long-trending separation between personal faith and organized religion. The shutdowns caught all of us by surprise in their sudden onset and ongoing duration. And it's hard to get back in the habit once it's been broken for months—now, even years, without a clear end in sight.Even so, the body of Christ is essential to our faith. A Christian without a church is a Christian in trouble. That's why Jonathan Leeman and I wrote Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential, published by Crossway in partnership with 9Marks and The Gospel Coalition. Leeman serves as editorial director of 9Marks and joins me on Gospelbound to discuss virtual churches, biblical authority after Mars Hill, and fellowship across difference, among other topics. Welcome, Jonathan.

In former Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam's new book, Faithful Presence: The Promise and the Peril of Faith in the Public Square (Nelson Books), he asks, “Do our political actions match our theology, or has our theology been taken captive to our political beliefs?”A political book that's driven by theology, Faithful Presence offers a stirring call to justice and mercy with humility. Gov. Haslam sees the “image of God” as the foundational truth that can bridge the gap in our polarized political culture. He says humility is the key to overcoming these differences—when you listen to others, and admit your faults, others will be more likely to listen to you. The only biblical way for us to walk into the public square is the way Jesus walked toward the cross. His was motivated by love for a broken and hurting people, not to be proven right, or to win the argument, or to gain power for himself.Gov. Haslam joined Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss political theology, intolerance, his ideal congregation, and why Christians shouldn't give up on politics.

Please help support the show on our Patreon Page! Member of the Society of Reformed Podcasters WELCOME TO BOOK CLUB! Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, most recently Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential and Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age. He earned an MDiv at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and an undergraduate degree in journalism and history from Northwestern University. He edited Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylorand The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books. He and his wife belong to Redeemer Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and he is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also serves on the advisory board. Jonathan Leeman is the editorial director for 9Marks. After doing undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science, Jonathan began his career in journalism where he worked as an editor for an international economics magazine in Washington, D. C. Since his call to ministry, Jonathan has earned a master of divinity and a Ph.D. in theology and worked as an interim pastor. Today he edits the 9Marks series of books as well as the 9Marks Journal and is the co-host of Pastors Talk. He has written for a number of publications and is the author or editor of a number of books. Jonathan lives with his wife and four daughters in a suburb of Washington, DC and serves as an elder at Cheverly Baptist Church. He teaches adjunctively at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Reformed Theological Seminary. You can follow him on Twitter at @JonathanLeeman. We want to thank Crossway for help setting up this interview and providing us with the necessary materials to interview Dr. Leeman & Mr. Hansen! Purchase the books here: Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ is Essential Have Feedback or Questions? Email us at: guiltgracepod@gmail.com Find us on Instagram: @guiltgracepod Follow us on Twitter: @guiltgracepod Please rate and subscribe to the podcast on whatever platform you use! Looking for a Reformed Church? North American Presbyterian & Reformed Churches --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/gggpodcast/support

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition. He hosts the Gospelbound podcast and has written and contributed to many books, most recently Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential and Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age. He earned an MDiv at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and an undergraduate degree in journalism and history from Northwestern University. He edited Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor and The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books. He and his wife belong to Redeemer Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and he is an adjunct professor at Beeson Divinity School, where he also serves on the advisory board. JM's Album Of The Week: The Killers - Pressure Machine Bradford's Book Club: The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk

(00:00-8:29): Brian and Aubrey talked about the chaos in Afghanistan as U.S. Forces leave the country. They also discussed how to pray for Afghanistan and other places in crisis.   “Afghans scale walls, rush tarmac in frenzy to flee as Kabul wakes to Taliban takeover”  “How to Pray for Afghanistan—and the Taliban” (8:29-17:10): Brian and Aubrey talked about Aubrey's family vacation and they discussed the importance of rest.  (17:10-26:21): “How Do Churches End Up with Domineering Bullies for Pastors?” Brian and Aubrey commented on Sam Allberry's Gospel Coalition article and chatted about the recent episode of “The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill.”  (26:21-34:48): Brian and Aubrey shared what “Grinds their Gears” as they discussed: Their kids going back to school on different days The paper straws at Starbucks Servers who don't write down your order Servers who kneel on the ground to take your order Slow drive-thru lines    (34:48-44:34): What valuable lessons can we learn from college freshmen? Brian and Aubrey talked about this and they discussed Liam Adams' Christianity Today article, “Headed Back to College, Evangelical Students Are Eager to Talk about Race—and Listen.” (44:34-1:02:44): Collin Hansen,Vice President for Content & Editor in Chief of The Gospel Coalition, Host of the Gospelbound podcast, and Coauthor of “Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age,” joined Brian and Aubrey to chat about his new book “Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential” and his New York Times opinion essay, “What We Lose When We Livestream Church.” If you're a church leader, learn more about requesting your copies of “Rediscover Church” at thegospelcoalition.org Connect with Collin on Twitter at @collinhansen   (1:02:44-1:11:19): Brian and Aubrey shared some encouraging tweets to close the show. Lesslie Newbigin - “The best apologetic of the Gospel is a church that believes it, lives it, and proclaims it.” Jennifer Dukes Lee - Do you want to share Jesus with the world in the coming week? Simply take those beautiful feet of yours and walk the path with others. Serve. Bow low. Give. Slow down and really be present with people. Offer comfort, even at your own discomfort. Love. With simple acts of service, people will see Jesus alive in you. Your life will preach a sermon even when your lips aren't moving. "The Scriptures say it is a beautiful sight to see even the feet of someone coming to preach the good news." Romans 10:15 Rev. Dr. Glenn Packiam - We think of salvation as being from a place— from hell or earth.But Paul speaks of salvation being not from a place but from a time— from this present evil age. Even though this present age continues, Christians belong to the Age to Come. We live in a different time zone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jasmine Holmes is the author of Mother to Son: Letters to a Black Boy on Identity and Hope (InterVarsity Press) and cohost of TGC's new podcast for women, Let's Talk. Holmes joined Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss politics, race, police brutality, abortion, and everything else you're not supposed to bring up in polite company.

Tim and Kathy Keller joined Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss the link between decreasing marriage and decreasing religiosity, how to know you're ready to get married, how to raise children to prepare them for marriage, and more.

On today's bonus episode of Gospelbound, we're featuring a clip from an interview between TGC senior writer, Sarah Zylstra and her guest, J. D. Greear as they discuss his experience as SBC president, future hopes for the SBC and the global church, and the importance of keeping the gospel at the center of it all. To hear the full episode, head to TGC Podcast episode 169. You can hear more about J. D.  in the new book, Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age.

I used to talk to God like He was my friend or therapist, then I got freaked out that I was being inappropriate. How should I approach Him? (12:02-26:15) Matt talks to Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra, Senior writer at The Gospel Coalition and coauthor of Gospelbound about the stories in her new book, where the American church goes from here, and dealing with deconstruction. (28:22-42:48) The Bible says Jesus went through all the things we go through. Does that mean He was ever unsure about His purpose? (43:09-57:38) Closing Song: 1 John 4:19 (The Poolhouse Guru) Ask A Question: saythatpodcast@gmail.com thebridgechicago.tumblr.com/ask (Anonymous)

Matt chats with journalist Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra about the state of the news media today and how Christians can be informed, discerning, and full of hope in an anxious age. In Gospelbound, her book with co-author Collin Hansen, Sarah reveals what authentic gospel living looks like in a culture of anxiety and fear through powerful, hope-stirring stories of believers transforming the world for Jesus. Plus, for all my Dutch listeners this episode of Deep Thoughts is 50% more Dutch than usual. You're welcome. ABOUT Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra is a senior writer for The Gospel Coalition where she oversees coverage of faith and work. She earned a BA in English and Communication from Dordt University and an Master of Science in Journalism from Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. Before working at TGC, she reported news for Christianity Today for more than a decade. Unfortunately, she doesn't appear to be directly related to any Zylstras living in the Fraser Valley but we like her anyway.

On today's bonus episode of Gospelbound, we're featuring a clip from an interview between TGC senior writer, Sarah Zylstra and her guest, Alex Harris about his experience clerking for two U.S. Supreme Court justices and editing Harvard Law Review, his brother Josh's high-profile deconstruction of his faith, whether evangelicals invest too much import in presidential politics, and much more. To hear the full episode, head to TGC Podcast episode 166.  You can hear more from Alex in the new book, Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age.

Collin Hansen serves as vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition. He has written and contributed to many books, most recently Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age, and hosts the Gospelbound podcast. He earned an MDiv at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and an undergraduate degree in journalism and history from Northwestern University. He edited Our Secular Age: Ten Years of Reading and Applying Charles Taylor and The New City Catechism Devotional, among other books. He and his wife belong to Redeemer Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama, and he serves on the advisory board of Beeson Divinity School.

Because of the gospel, there’s always hope. Even in the rubble, you can find defiant new growth poking through the rocks. A similar hope can be seen in seminary education. One of the greatest success stories can be found in Kansas City at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.The president there is Jason Allen, and under his leadership, the school has grown in enrollment and resources and in quality of education. It's exciting to consider what this turnaround means for generations of churches in the Southern Baptist Convention and beyond.Jason says that “never before in the history of the church has theological education been so accessible—and so needed.” In this episode of Gospelbound, Collin Hansen welcomes Jason Allen to discuss his new book, Succeeding at Seminary: 12 Keys to Getting the Most Out of Your Theological Education (Moody).In this episode, Collin and Jason talk about the promise and peril of online education, why students should still consider residential relocation, and how you know if you’re really ready for this momentous step.This episode Gospelbound is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of Faith For Life.  More information at thegoodbook.com. 

For Shai Linne, the cultural differences in music and dress never seemed to matter compared to unity in the crucified and risen Christ. Shai became a key figure in the growing movement of Christian hip-hop, musically like Wu-tang Clan but lyrically like Billy Graham. The style was appealing, but the crowds seemed more excited about Jesus than anything else. He’s convinced that we’ll look back one day on this era, between 2002 and 2012, as a revival much like the Jesus Movement of the late 1960s and early ’70s.In 2012, ethnic differences began to re-emerge with the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. As Shai writes in his new book, The New Reformation: Finding Hope in the Fight for Ethnic Unity (Moody), the subsequent high-profile shooting deaths of black men and women did not surprise many African Americans. His sense as a 16-year-old was that police beat up Black people all the time. But Christian hip-hop began to decline when White and Black Christians realized they did not see these incidents the same way. He writes: “White Christians were happy to have us as long as we just rapped about the gospel and kept quiet about the things we talk about among ourselves all the time that deeply affect us. But the moment we expressed the pain we felt about ‘racial injustice,’ many White Christians were quick to dismiss us, rebuke us, or silently ignore us.”Even so, Shai’s book points to hope for ethnic unity. It’s a book that cuts through the anger, sarcasm, unforgiveness, and mockery that characterize much Christian discourse today on this sensitive subject. He points us toward a better way of humility, gentleness, patience, and bearing with one another in love. Apart from massive revival, we may not expect the world to overcome these divisions. But in the church, through the power of the gospel, we can strive for unity and be a clear and compelling witness to the world.Shai Linne joined me on Gospelbound to discuss the importance of ethnic unity and how we might get there.This episode Gospelbound is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of Faith For Life.  More information at thegoodbook.com.

In this live episode of Gospelbound from TGC’s 2021 national conference, Collin Hansen is joined by two esteemed guests who can help explain the origins and shape of Christian nationalism with a view toward the promises of the gospel. Michael Horton is the J. Gresham Machen professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in California. Justin Giboney is cofounder of the AND Campaign, an attorney, and a political strategist in Atlanta.Whether or not your church would advocate Christian nationalism, it’s become an apologetics challenge for church leaders with public perception. Mike and Justin help by answering a few questions and candidly discussing this topic.This episode of Gospelbound is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of Brave by Faith by Alistair Begg. More information at thegoodbook.com.

These days, you’ll see many Christians defend the faith by pointing out the problems with others. But owning up to ways the church has fallen short of its own ideals may be the more appropriate path. In his new book, Bullies and Saints: An Honest Look at the Good and Evil of Christian History (Zondervan), John Dickson takes an honest look at the church’s successes and failures.Dickson sums up history by observing, “Bullies are common. Saints are not.” So on Gospelbound, I dug in on his survey and asked whether Christianity has been a bigger contributor to evil compared to atheism and Islam; his high and low points in Christian history; and why Christians are cheerful losers.This episode of Gospelbound is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of the God’s Word for You expository Bible study guides. More information at thegoodbook.com.

In episode 546, co-hosts Doug Sweeney and Kristen Padilla talk to Collin Hansen about his two newest books, Gospelbound and Rediscover Church.

In episode 546, co-hosts Doug Sweeney and Kristen Padilla talk to Collin Hansen about his two newest books, Gospelbound and Rediscover Church.

Maybe you imagine the biggest problem facing Christians in the West today is hostility, whether from media or government or schools. You wouldn’t be wrong to notice how these venues don’t usually look kindly on orthodox, observant Christians these days.But what if we actually face a bigger problem? What if the problem isn’t that our unbelieving friends and family care too much about what we believe—it’s that they don’t care at all what we believe? That’s not a challenge we’re typically prepared to address.Until now, thanks to Kyle Beshears in his new book, Apatheism: How to Share When They Don’t Care (B&H). Kyle is teaching pastor at Mars Hill Church in Mobile, Alabama. I met him when he taught worldview and apologetics at the University of Mobile. Kyle explains of his book, “Atheism believes that God does not exist; agnosticism believes that we can’t know whether or not God exists; apatheism believes God’s existence to be irrelevant.”Kyle Beshears joined Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss the causes and cures of apatheism.This episode of Gospelbound is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of the God’s Word for You expository Bible study guides. More information at thegoodbook.com.

The only way we can move forward in the church is by going back to the Gospel. Journalism and education have become intrinsically destabilizing forces for Christianity, and anxiety is at an all-time high. Sarah Zylstra and Collin Hansen have written Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age to respond to this very problem. [Collin also hosts another podcast called Gospelbound). You will find encouragement and direction in this episode. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands by Jen Wilkin, the Best-Selling Author of Women of the Word. Ten Words to Live By teaches readers how the Ten Commandments come tobear on their lives today, helping them to love God and others, to live injoyful freedom, and to long for that future day when God will be rightlyworshiped for eternity. Ancient and timeless, these words cannot be overlooked.They serve as the rightful delight and daily meditation of those who call onthe name of the Lord. For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE. Timestamps: The Prescriptivists Lost [0:00 – 1:00] The First Ever Female Guest on LBE [1:00 – 1:57] The Sarah Zylstra Orbit [1:57 – 6:20] Where Good Writers Come From [6:20 – 11:27] In what sense is the Gospel “binding?” [11:27 – 14:18] Where is all this anxiety coming from? [14:18 – 20:01] The Media, Education, & Anxiety [20:01 – 27:35] Why do we prefer to be anxious? [27:35 – 35:15] Stories that Encourage [35:15 – 45:40] The Danger of Nostalgia [45:40 – 53:56] A Better Way [53:56 – 59:50] Books and Everything: Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age, by Sarah Zylstra

Has anyone ever confided in you, “I’m deconstructing”? Maybe you don’t know the phrase, but you know the phenomenon. Yet another social-media post announces departure from the Christian faith. The cause could be sex, race, politics, social justice, science, hell, or all of the above. For many, Christianity is becoming implausible, even impossible to believe. It might be tempting to leave the church in order to find answers, but the new book Before You Lose Your Faith: Deconstructing Doubt in the Church (The Gospel Coalition) argues that church should be the best place to deal with doubts. Deconstructing need not end in unbelief. In fact, deconstructing can be the road toward reconstructing—building up a more mature, robust faith that grapples honestly with the deepest questions of life.Karen Swallow Prior, Jay Y. Kim, and Derek Rishmawy joined me on Gospelbound to discuss deconstruction and the hope that lies in the person and work of Jesus.Gospelbound Book Giveaway Entry Steps: Write a review about the Gospelbound podcast on Apple Podcasts  (reviews can take up to 48 hours to appear in the ratings and review section, so be sure to check back after that time period to see your review)Take a screenshot of your reviewEmail us your screenshot to podcasts@thegospelcoalition.org  by Friday, April 23We'll pick the first 10 entries on April 23 to receive a free copy of Gospelbound, the book.This episode of Gospelbound is sponsored by The Good Book Company, publisher of Brave by Faith by Alistair Begg. More information at thegoodbook.com.

(00:00-08:39): Brian chatted about the hope of Easter. He also reacted to Aidan McLaughlin's Mediaite article, “Sen. Raphael Warnock Deletes Easter Tweet After Being Accused of ‘Heresy.'” And he discussed Tim Keller's Christianity Today article, “Tim Keller: Hope for a Better World Starts with the Resurrection.”  (08:39-26:15): Dr. Jim Denison, cultural apologist and Co-founder & Chief Vision Officer of the Denison Forum, joined Brian to chat about working toward unity in the Church and his recent articles,  “Was the cross really necessary? What does the Bible say about Easter?”  “Kanakuk Kamps and the urgency of accountability: Salvation in three tenses and the peril of Christless Christianity”  “Responding to the Oral Roberts University controversy: Two interrelated imperatives all Christians should embrace today”    Learn more about Jim and the Denison Forum at denisonforum.org (26:15-34:55): Brian shared his thoughts on a Twitter Video of Charles Barkley from the Final Four Show on CBS.    (34:55-44:22): Brian commented on N.T. Wright's post on The Exchange with Ed Stetzer on Christianity Today's Blog Forum, “Easter Hope for a Post-Pandemic World.”         (44:22-1:03:15): Collin Hansen,Vice President for Content & Editor in Chief of The Gospel Coalition and Host of the Gospelbound podcast, and Sarah Zylstra, Senior Writer and Faith-and-Work Editor for The Gospel Coalition, joined Brian to chat about their new book, “Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age.” Learn more about their book at amazon.com (1:03:15-1:11:20): Brian discussed Ryan Dunleavy's New York Post article, “Angels' Ty Buttrey shockingly retires at 28: ‘I'm tired of pretending.'” See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Theolatte's Dan DeWitt talks about recent Gallup polling about the drop in church membership in the US.  He also talked about the most ancient creed of the Church.  The Gospel Coalition's Collin Hansen, author of "Gospelbound," talks about how the Gospel both provides  hope and strength to overcome our anxieties.

Theolatte's Dan DeWitt talks about recent Gallup polling about the drop in church membership in the US.  He also talked about the most ancient creed of the Church.  The Gospel Coalition's Collin Hansen, author of "Gospelbound," talks about how the Gospel both provides  hope and strength to overcome our anxieties.