Collars & Calluses

A sermon by Bill from Proverbs.

In this episode of Collars and Calluses, Bill and Rich continue their practical counsel for young men by discussing money, vocation, grit, and joy. They argue that wealth is a blessing and a tool of dominion, but warn against loving or idolizing money, urging contentment, stewardship through budgeting (beginning with a tithe), saving, investing, and safeguards like term life insurance; they also s...

Bill and Rich return to Collars and Calluses to continue practical counsel for young men, focusing on dealing with anxiety, having a plan, and learning skills. They distinguish normal concern from sinful anxiety rooted in failure to trust God, arguing anxiety undermines character, competence, and confidence and can spread socially, especially affecting leadership in marriage and family. They stres...

A conference talk by Rich.

In this solo “Collars and Calluses” episode (with Rich away), Bill answers listener questions about leading at home when a husband converts after marriage but his wife remains unbelieving, or when a Christian wife leans feminist. Drawing from 1 Corinthians 7 and broader biblical principles, he urges men to win their wives by embodying attractive Christian leadership—nourishing and cherishing, inst...

 In this episode of Collars and Calluses, Bill and Rich resume a discussion of Rich’s “13 Rules for Life: A Counsel for Young Men,” framing the rules as wisdom-guidelines rooted in Proverbs and applied to modern culture. They cover taking initiative and practicing chivalry with women as signals of male protection and provision, while rejecting “white knighting” and noting some women may exploit ch...

A talk by Rich Lusk.

 Bill and Rich continue their Proverbs-focused series by discussing practical manhood through the theme of appropriateness, especially in speech, and framing manliness as an “art” learned through Scripture, experience, and lived models. Aimed particularly at younger men, they introduce Rich’s blog article “Counsel for Young Men: 13 Rules for Life” and cover three rules: (1) seek wisdom and submit...

In this Collars and Calluses episode, Bill and Rich answer listener questions about sex in marriage, emphasizing that Scripture treats procreation and pleasure as a unified “package deal,” with marriage requiring openness to children and a high view of children as blessing and duty under the creation mandate. They warn against adopting the world’s anti-child mindset and argue contraception must be...

Hosts Bill and Rich answer a listener’s question about vocational direction for men who lacked guidance beyond “get good grades and go to college.” They argue this reflects under-fathering and urge men not to adopt a victim mentality but to seek mentors, assess strengths and weaknesses, and pursue marketable opportunities rather than “follow your passion,” noting work is often hard and fulfillment...

The episode of Collars & Calluses responds to a listener question about Romans 11 and modern Jews, outlining three views: dispensationalism (Israel and the church as two peoples of God with ongoing special status for Jews), covenantal futurism (a future mass conversion of Jews), and a minority preterist view claiming Romans 11 was fulfilled before AD 70 with no continuing Jew/Gentile distincti...

Bill and Rich answer listener questions on Collars & Calluses, inviting more submissions via collarsandcalluses@gmail.com and on X (@wrs2_, @Vicar1973). They discuss how the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22–23) is relational and manifests differently in masculinity and femininity, arguing the church and culture have often privileged feminine expressions of virtue; they illustrate this throu...

The hosts of “Collars & Calluses” introduce a Q&A backlog and address whether the U.S. war with Iran is just and whether CREC pastors should rebuke Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, noting he is in the CREC and that critics want public denunciations. They argue Christians should avoid dogmatism because citizens lack full information, the history is messy, and this issue shouldn’t divide frien...

Bill and Rich return to their Proverbs theme of wealth, focusing on how Solomon teaches that generosity—especially toward the legitimately poor—can lead to true riches, connecting giving to the biblical pattern of death and resurrection and to Paul’s “sowing and reaping” in 2 Corinthians 9. They warn against prosperity-gospel manipulation and stress discriminating charity that avoids enabling idle...

Taken from Bill's series on Proverbs: https://www.cornerstonereformedcrec.org/proverbs

Bill's full series of sermons on Proverbs can be found here: https://www.cornerstonereformedcrec.org/proverbs

In this episode of Collars & Calluses, Bill and Rich begin a Proverbs-based discussion on wealth for young men, rejecting both the prosperity gospel (wealth equals godliness) and a “poverty gospel” (poverty equals godliness) in favor of a biblical call to productivity, fruitfulness, and dominion. They argue wealth is good yet dangerous and powerful, and should be pursued lawfully, enjoyed with...

Bill and Rich continue their discussion on appetites by focusing on the abuse of substances—alcohol, food, and drugs—framed in Proverbs as gluttony and drunkenness. They explain Proverbs 20:1 (“wine is a mocker”) as a warning that alcohol and other mind-altering substances can master a man, impair judgment, lower inhibitions, and lead to sin, irresponsibility, and loss of trust. They emphasize per...

Bill and Rich introduce a Proverbs-themed discussion on alcohol, drugs, and how substance abuse can derail a young man’s mission, citing 2024 U.S. data on widespread alcohol and drug use disorders and describing visible local impacts in Carbondale, Illinois and elsewhere. They argue modern therapeutic culture reframes sin as “disorder,” obscuring responsibility. They stress starting with God’s goo...

Bill and Rich continue their Proverbs series on anger, framing it as a crucial issue for young men pursuing God’s creational mandate and biblical masculinity. They distinguish righteous anger (constructive and properly aimed) from unrighteous anger (destructive), warning from Galatians 5:19–21 that outbursts of anger are works of the flesh with eternal consequences. They discuss common objects and...

This week, enjoy this conference talk on masculinity and femininity from Rich. We will be back next week with our next episode on anger.

In this episode of 'Collars & Calluses,' Rich and Bill delve into the theme of anger, drawing insights from the Book of Proverbs. They explore the difference between righteous and unrighteous anger, emphasizing the importance of controlling anger to avoid destructive outcomes and instead channeling it positively. Covering topics like the influence of social media, empathy, the significance of...

In this episode of Collars & Calluses, Bill and Rich discuss the traits to look for in a future wife based on Proverbs 31. They explore the importance of generosity, courage, adornment, and wisdom in biblical womanhood. The conversation delves into the cultural shift in femininity and the significance of a woman being anchored to her home. They encourage young men to diligently pursue a Prover...

In this episode of Collars & Calluses, Bill and Rich explore the characteristics of a Proverbs 31 woman, providing young men with advice on how to find a future wife who exhibits integrity, industry, and joyfulness in her duties. The discussion highlights the importance of a woman's character, her ability to manage a household, and her commitment to her family. The hosts also emphasize the nee...

In this episode of 'Collars & Calluses,' Bill and Rich discuss the importance of vetting potential wives through the lens of Biblical theology. The hosts emphasize the roles and characteristics of the Proverbs 31 woman and differentiate between true feminine strength and cultural misconceptions. They underline the importance of selecting a wife who aligns with God's design for marriage and hou...