A Pastoral Podcast

John MacArthur was one of the most important expositors of our lifetime, and maybe of anyone's lifetime. After more than 55 years of faithful ministry at Grace Community Church in southern California, Dr. MacArthur went home to be with the Lord on July 14, 2025. In this episode, Lloyd and Tony reflect on his life, legacy, and ministry, as well as where the American church goes from here. —— A...

The first episode of A Pastoral Podcast since Tony left for Woodland Park Bible Church in San Marcos, CA. Listen in as Lloyd and Tony talk about a range of topics, including what's new at FFBC and WPBC, worldliness, the importance of expository preaching, and Flocks. Find Pastor Tony and learn more about WPBC at wpbcSanMarcos.org . —— A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible C...

Which is more biblical—burial or cremation? In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, pastors Lloyd and Tony discuss the difficult subject of cremation, what the Bible has to say about it, and how Christians should think about it. —— A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible Church in Prescott Valley, AZ. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www. FirmFoundationPV.org⁠⁠⁠ .

Christian nationalism is a hot-button topic among Christians and seculars alike—but what is it exactly? For those on the ideological left who deal in terms of euphemism and slander rather than actual ideas, it's a caricature synonymous with white supremacy. But for Christians who are actually listening to its claims, aspects of it sound not only reasonable, but right. In this episode of A Pastoral...

NOTE: This episode was originally recorded on January 23, 2024. —— Abortion is ultimately a theological issue, because your view of abortion is the natural outgrowth of your understanding of humanity and what it means to be a person. This is the fundamental reason why some people support it and why others are opposed to it. In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, pastors Lloyd and Tony talk about t...

For the past three years, Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been a major force in American society. It occupies a primary point of concern for its opponents, while its advocates among the elite argue that it is simultaneously a ‘boogeyman’ for conservatives as well as a legitimate field of study. While the title is frequently denied, its core tenets are nevertheless being implemented across every maj...

How do I know if I'm called to preach? What does the Bible require of those who are called to ministry? What does "the call" even mean? In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, Pastors Lloyd and Tony talk about discerning the call to Christian Ministry. —— Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, ver...

In this episode, Pastors Jeff, Lloyd, and Tony are on the road together, driving back to AZ from the F.I.R.E. Fellowship Conference in Oxnard, CA and sharing some "random thoughts on the road." During the drive they took some time to discuss several random topics—namely, Bible translations, how Christians should think about Jordan Peterson, and the leading of the Holy Spirit. To learn more about t...

What is family worship—a.k.a. family devotions? Who should lead it, how do we do it, and why should we do it in the first place? Most Christians have a hard time knowing where to begin with their own personal devotions. Throw in several other people, busy work weeks and school schedules, and just a tiny bit of laziness or wrong priorities, and it is not a stretch to suppose that many Christian fam...

If I was baptized as a child but saved as an adult, do I need to be baptized again? Is baptism necessary for salvation? What does the Bible teach about baptism? These are just some of the questions that many Christians have when it comes to baptism. On this episode, Pastors Lloyd and Tony talk through the question of baptism from a biblical perspective. —— Firm Foundation is a non-denominational C...

We are at a point in American history where trust in institutions is lower than it's ever been—and not without good reason. Government, media, education, the church, and even the family are all viewed with suspicion. What are Christians to make of so-called "church membership"? Is it right for a church to require it? Is it wise for Christians to submit to it? Is it even biblical? Listen in as Lloy...

All throughout church history, Christians have held different views on the fourth commandment and taken different approaches to it. So what is the Sabbath? Is there a "Christian Sabbath," and if so, is it on Saturday or Sunday? Are we obligated to keep it, and how should we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ when their convictions differ from ours? Pastors Lloyd and Tony try to answer these...

Denominations: Christian disunity, or something else? Outsiders have faulted Christianity for centuries because of the fact that there are different denominations. If we have one Bible, one God, and one faith, why are there so many different churches? It's one thing for unbelievers to have a problem here, but it's another thing altogether when Christians are confused by it. Today on A Pastoral Pod...

Most Christians feel the tension between duty and grace. In other words, we have a sense of the obligation to "do" certain things (like read your Bible, or go to church), and yet we know that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone apart from works. In our first edition of A Pastoral Podcast, Lloyd and Tony talk about that tension and the difference between legalism and spiritual discipline. —...