Podcasts about Poythress

In a culture saturated with self-help strategies, identity politics, and the language of "manifesting," where do Christians turn for a stable, coherent sense of self? On this episode of Christ the Center, Camden Bucey sits down with pastor and author Justin N. Poythress to explore the deep theological roots of the identity crisis plaguing our age. Drawing from his new book, Who Am I? And What Am I Doing With My Life? Finding Stability and Purpose in Jesus (The Good Book Company), Poythress argues that only Christ can rightly function as our "master identity"—the organizing center beneath every role, relationship, and calling. Work, sexuality, politics, and even parenting all fail catastrophically when elevated to that ultimate position, because none of them can bear the weight of the human soul. At the heart of the conversation lies a powerful biblical framework: we are in Christ while also being conformed to his image. Romans 8:29 declares that God predestined His people to be conformed to the image of His Son—a settled identity and a lifelong trajectory of growth. Poythress unpacks how 2 Corinthians 3:18 reframes the secular obsession with "manifesting" into the biblical practice of beholding Christ, the true mechanism of transformation. The episode also explores the church as a "thick community" designed for the kind of multi-dimensional, embodied relationships that curated online personas can never provide. For pastors, elders, and anyone seeking maturity in Christ, the takeaway is both liberating and compelling: the Christian life is a matter of becoming what you already are in Christ. Watch on YouTube Chapters 00:07 Introduction 08:50 Master and Sub-Identities 13:53 Identity as a Theological Issue 16:58 Romans 8:29 21:22 Manifesting vs. Beholding 28:09 The Means of Grace 32:19 Thick Communities 41:12 Authenticity 46:14 Work, Sexuality, and Politics as Functional Religions 51:12 Becoming What You Are in Christ 56:29 Conclusion Participants: Camden Bucey, Justin N. Poythress

In this episode, Nate Shannon interviews Rev. Dr. Justin Poythress about his forthcoming book Who Am I and What Am I Doing With My Life? The conversation explores the modern “identity crisis” often expressed in debates about sexuality and gender but argues that these are only surface manifestations of a much deeper question: what it means to be human. Poythress explains that contemporary culture's emphasis on radical self-creation, amplified by social media, limitless vocational options, and hyper-individualism, has produced both unprecedented freedom and profound instability. When identity becomes something we must invent rather than receive, the result is anxiety, paralysis, and constant comparison. This pressure affects everyone, not just teenagers or those wrestling with gender questions; adults experience it through work, retirement, politics, and online self-presentation. The gospel, Poythress argues, reframes identity entirely. Rather than constructing ourselves from scratch, we discover that much of who we are is “given”, created by God and shaped in relationship to Him and others. Christianity does not suppress the human desire for growth and transformation but redirects it: true becoming happens through union with Christ, not self-invention. What modern self-help and identity movements seek, meaning, stability, and a better self, is fulfilled in conversion and sanctification. The Christian life therefore answers the identity crisis not by rejecting identity language, but by redeeming it, grounding our being and becoming in communion with God.

Feedback? Comments? Questions? Send us a text message now! Two of life's biggest questions: Who am I? and What am I doing with my life? Together, we unpack the forces that shape our identity—success, relationships, failure, culture, and our own inner story telling—and consider why we are left feeling uncertain and restless.Whether you're skeptical, spiritually curious, or simply wrestling with questions of purpose, this episode creates space to reflect, discuss, and rethink what forms the core of who you are.Justin has written this book which comes out in April: Books - Justin N. PoythressFIND OUT MORE

In this week's episode we were blessed with the opportunity to sit down with Justin N. Poythress, pastor of All Saints Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Boise, ID, about his upcoming book Who Am I and What Am I Doing with My Life?, set for release on April 1st from the Good Book Company.  In this conversation we dive into the contents of Justin's book as he helps guide through the fundamental questions of identity, the self, and understanding who we are in Christ.  For a discount code to Justin's book available for pre-order, you can subscribe to blog at justinpoythress.com. ----more---- Visit www.almondvalley.org for information about Almond Valley Christian Reformed Church in Ripon, CA. Music by Jonathan Ogden used with permission.

The difference between a faithful apologetic method and an unfaithful one often lies in your interpretation of Romans 1. What does it mean that the unrighteous "suppress the truth" and yet "what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them"? In this episode Nate and Dr. Poythress look to Romans 1 to answer these questions and discuss the relation between epistemology and apologetics. If you enjoy this episode, you can access tons of content like it at wm.wts.edu. If you would like to join us in our mission to train specialists in the Bible to proclaim the whole counsel of God for Christ and his global church, visit wts.edu/donate. Thanks for listening.

Vern Poythress teaches a course at Westminster on the Theology of Science and has a lot of experience in both the fields of science and theology. Nate sits down to discuss science and faith with him and it's implications for theology, apologetics, evangelism, etc. If you enjoy this episode, you can access tons of content like it at wm.wts.edu. If you would like to join us in our mission to train specialists in the Bible to proclaim the whole counsel of God for Christ and his global church, visit wts.edu/donate. Thanks for listening.

Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/editorialtpv El día de hoy hablaremos sobre el capítulo 8 del libro "Inerrancia y Cosmovisión", por Vern Poythress Ver aquí: https://teologiaparavivir.com/poythress-inerrancia-y-cosmovision/ . El programa de hoy explora los desafíos de interpretar la Biblia en un contexto moderno. Poythress sostiene que las personas a menudo se acercan a las Escrituras con una actitud farisaica, lo que dificulta su comprensión. El orgullo humano y la corrupción de la mente conducen a interpretaciones erróneas y al rechazo del mensaje central de la Biblia sobre la salvación por medio de Jesucristo. Esto exige un enfoque humilde y el reconocimiento de la propia necesidad espiritual, lo que permite una comprensión adecuada del texto y su mensaje de redención. En última instancia, es vital reconocer la Biblia como palabra de Dios y someterse a las enseñanzas de Cristo para la sanación y la liberación espirituales. Siguenos: - Web: https://teologiaparavivir.com/ - Blog: https://semperreformandaperu.org/ - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/ - Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/teologiaparavivir/

Nate Shannon sits down with Dr. Vern Poythress to discuss Genesis 1 and it's implications for theology, evangelism, and apologetics.

Discover how the Old Testament is far more than just history and moral lessons - it's a divine masterpiece pointing to Christ! Join us with renowned theologian Dr. Vern S. Poythress as he unpacks his new book “Biblical Typology: How the Old Testament Points to Christ, His Church, and the Consummation,” revealing how to identify and interpret the fascinating ways God wove pictures of Jesus throughout the entire Old Testament. Whether you're a pastor, Bible teacher, or curious believer, learn practical tools for uncovering these divine connections and deepening your understanding of God's redemptive plan! ABOUT THE GUEST:

Many of Cornelius Van Til's critics claim that Van Til did not sufficiently base his apologetic method on Scriptural exegesis. Van Til himself acknowledged that robust exegesis wasn't as prominent in his work as it could have been. That was not, however, an admission that his method was not built on exegesis, just that it's exegetical foundation was assumed more than it was argued. The second generation of Van Tilian scholars (Gaffin, Edgar, Oliphint, Tipton, Poythress, etc.) filled what Van Til claimed was a gap in his theological corpus by focusing on exegetical arguments for Van Til's apologetic approach. In this episode of the Westminster Podcast, Jonathan Brack, Pierce Hibbs, and Brandon Smith discuss what exegetical avenues ought the third generation of Van Tilian scholars explore.

In this episode, I got to talk with Dr. Vern Poythress about his new book, Making Sense of Man. Vern is a distinguished professor of New Testament, biblical interpretation, and systematic theology at Westminster Theological Seminary. He received his PhD from Harvard University, his M.Div and ThM from Westminster Theological Seminary, his M.Litt from Cambridge University, and his Th.D from Stellenbosch University. Dr. Poythress has published books on many different topics including, Logic: A God-Centered Approach to the Foundation of Western Thought, Redeeming Mathematics: A God-Centered Approach, and In The Beginning Was The Word: Language--A God-Centered Approach. Vern also served as chair of the ESV Oversight Committee's New Testament section.In our conversation, Vern and I discussed his book, Making Sense of Man. We talked about how he approached writing a book on the doctrine of man, what it means to be made in the image of God, and how Christians should interact with language and liturgy. We also talked about why confessional Christianity might be better than non-denominationalism. I hope you enjoy! Sign up for my newsletter and never miss an episode: https://optivnetwork.comFollow me on X: https://x.com/andyschmitt99Email me at andy@optivnetwork.com with your questions!Music: "nesting" by Birocratic (http://birocratic.lnk.to/allYL)