God‘s Story Podcast

How does the Christian tradition speak of economic justice? Brent talks with Brian Brock about his Baker Books title ‘Joining Creation’s Praise: A Theological Ethic of Creatureliness’. Brian holds a personal chair in Moral and Political Theology.  He joined the University of Aberdeen following postdoctoral studies at the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg and a doctorate in Christian...

What’s the cost of fame and power? Brent talks with Hannah Long about Orson Welles and ‘Citizen Kane’.    Hannah is a passionate cinephile.  She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘The Despatch’, ‘Angelus News’, ‘The Bulwark’, ‘First Things’ and ‘Christianity Today’. (0:30) Why so famous? (1:40) Who was Orson Welles? (4:45) William Randolph Hearst;...

‘Shame makes us feel that we are not good enough and can prevent us from receiving the love God wants to lavish on us’. Brent talks with Toni Kim about her new IVP book ‘Shame Redeemed: Learning to Live in Christ’s Freedom’. Toni is director of spiritual care at the National Association of Evangelicals.  She served over 20 years as a pastor in Vancouver and Boston.  (0:45) Shame and guilt; (1:10)...

How does Jane Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ deal with money and property? Brent talks with Jennifer Holberg about Austen’s novel. Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and co-director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing.  She’s also the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’. (0:45) When was the book written? (2:20) The title; (5...

How is sleep a sacred gift that restores us? Brent talks with Brett McCracken about his new IVP book ‘The Wisdom of Sleep: How Rest Reveals God’s Truth and Revives Weary Souls’. Brett is an author and journalist based in Southern California.  He serves as a senior editor at the Gospel Coalition where he writes on the intersection of faith and culture.  He’s written a number of books.       (1:00)...

Are you grieving the loss of a child by suicide? Brent talks with Jackie Baker about her new book from Hope Books called ‘Messy Mourning: Hope for Mothers Grieving the Loss of a Child by Suicide’. Jackie is a pediatric nurse practitioner and a writer who writes about grief, faith, motherhood, identity and healing.    (0:40) Sebastian; (3:55) Stigma? (6:20) Youth suicide; (8:10) Messy grieving proc...

How did John Wesley’s leadership practices shape the church and his society as a whole? Brent talks with Margaret Diddams and Shirley Mullen about their new IVP book ‘Tried and True: The Countercultural Virtues of Christian Leadership’. Margaret is an industrial-organizational psychologist, former provost and chief academic officer at Wheaton College and a former senior manager at Microsoft.   Shi...

‘When panic attacks shattered his world, leaving him drowning in a chaos he couldn’t name, biblical scholar Dave Nienhuis discovered something unexpected.  Scripture itself offered language for his anguish.  The Bible’s recurring image of the catastrophic Deep – the watery chaos that threatens to overwhelm – spoke for him when he had no words of his own’. Brent talks to Dave Nienhuis about his new...

What is the soul and why is it important? Brent talks with Joshua Farris about his new Collective Ink Books title ‘Why Souls? A Mirror to the Universe’. Joshua is an ordained priest with the diocese of Kagera and ACMI and a Canon Theologian on Missio Mosaic.  He’s also the director and founder of Soul Science Ministries and Spiritually Driven Leadership.    (1:00) Intelligence; (2:40) Human intell...

How could Christians offer alternative views to the dominant voices in society? Brent talks with Tim Muehlhoff who is one of the authors – with Todd Lewis – of a second edition of the IVP book ‘Authentic Communication: Christian Speech Engaging Culture’. Tim is Professor of Communication at Biola University in California and Senior Director of the Winsome Conviction Project.    (0:40) Effective co...

How was C.S. Lewis inspired by the mystics? Brent talks with Gary Selby about his new IVP book ‘The Everyday Mysticism of C.S. Lewis: Spirituality for Daily Life’. Gary is Professor of ministerial formation at Emmanuel Christian Seminary, where he teaches courses in spiritual formation and ministry.  He’s written a number of books.     (0:50) The mystical tradition; (1:50) Lewis and the mystics; (...

What can the ancient mothers and fathers of the church teach us about Advent and Christmas? Brent talks with Lynneth and Adam Renberg the authors of a new IVP book ‘Candles in the Darkness: Experiencing Advent with the Early and Medieval Church’. Lynneth is associate professor of history and associate director of the Honors College at Anderson University. Adam is assistant professor of theology at...

What if you’ve lost your delight in God? What if you’ve never really experienced it in the first place? Brent talks witn Stephanie Rouselle about her new IVP book ‘Awaken Delight: Satisfying Your Soul’s Longings for God’. Stephanie is a Bible teacher, speaker, host of the ‘Gospel Spice’ podcast and founder of Gospel Spice ministries.  Stephanie is a former atheist whose life motto is ‘God’s Glory,...

What does the book of Job have to say about suffering? Brent talks with Dennis Tucker about his new commentary on Job published in IVP’s Tyndale Old Testament Commentary Series. Dennis is professor of Christian Scriptures at Baylor University’s Truett Seminary.  He’s the author of a number of books.  (0:40) Job now; (1:35) Suffering and chaos; (4:10) Is Job guilty? (5:10) The Satan; (6:55) The dia...

‘We live in an age where therapy culture dominates our culture’. Brent talks with Matthew Loftus about his new IVP book ‘Resisting Therapy Culture: The Dangers of Pop Psychology and How the Church Can Respond’. Matthew teaches and practices family medicine at a mission hospital in Kenya.  His work has appeared in ‘The New York Times’, ‘The Atlantic’, ‘Christianity Today’ and ‘Mere Orthodoxy’ among...

Does beauty really exist? Brent talks with Dennis Bray about his new IVP book ‘What is Beauty? An Introduction to Art and Aesthetics’. Dennis is a philosophical theologian who integrates insights from philosophy, biblical and systematic theology, history and the empirical sciences.  He’s assistant professor of theology at Taylor University.   (0:40) The arts; (1:25) Beauty; (6:30) God’s beauty; (9...

What are the Exodus themes in John 6:22-71? Brent talks with Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute. (0:25) The crowd; (1:30) The bread; (2:30) The Tabernacle and the Temple; (3:00) Moses; (5:20) Faith and belief; (7:55) Jesus and Moses; (9:10) Wisdom; (10:20) Manna, Law and Wisdom (11:55) Exodus themes; (12:20) The Son of Man theme; (14:20) Jesus’ body.  Links mentioned in this episode:...

  What are the Exodus themes in John 6:1-21 and why are they there? Brent talks with Dr. Alastair Roberts of the Theopolis Institute in the States. (0:30) The 4th and 5th signs; (0:40) John’s account; (2:15) Passover and the sea crossing; (3:30) Exodus themes; (4:40) The grass; (5:50) 5,000 (6:40) 12 baskets and 5 loaves; (9:00) The Lord’s Supper; (12:30) Walking on the water; (15:40) The ‘I Am’ s...

Do you feel tired, distracted, or hungry for a real connection with God? Brent talks with Brian Plachta about his new Whitaker House book ‘Divine Flow: Reclaiming the Lost Art of Contemplation for Everyday Life’. Brian is a spiritual mentor, speaker, and author who helps busy, spiritually hungry people quiet their minds so that they can experience God in everyday life.  After years as an attorney,...

How do we actually discern what our vocation is? Brent talks with Brian Brock in the second part of our series on his Baker Books title ‘Joining Creation’s Praise: A Theological Ethic of Creatureliness’. Brian holds a personal Chair in Moral and Political Theology.  He joined the University of Aberdeen following postdoctoral studies at the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nurnberg and a doc...

‘We need a new imagination to capture the hopefulness of God birthing something new in the midst of the pain of the old creation’. Brent talks with Shawna Gaines about her new IVP book ‘The Pastor as Midwife: Life Giving Leadership for the Healing of the Church’. Shawna is lead pastor at Trevecca Community Church in Nashville, Tennessee. She has 15 years of experience in congregational ministry an...

How has Christian spirituality shaped the world? Brent talks with Gerald Sittser about the new edition of his IVP book ‘Water from a Deep Well: Christian Spirituality from Early Martyrs to Modern Missionaries’. Gerald is professor emeritus of theology at Whitworth University and a senior fellow in the Office of Church Engagement.  He’s a frequent university lecturer and writer and has authored nin...

In what sense is ‘Northanger Abbey’ a parody of the Gothic novel? Brent talks with Jennifer Holberg about Jane Austen’s novel. Jennifer is professor and chair of the English Department at Calvin University in the States and director of the Calvin Center for Faith and Writing.  She’s the author of the book ‘Nourishing Narratives’. (1:15) Publishing date; (4:30) Books; (7:20) The Gothic novel; (11:0...

What if you saw your hobbies as a form of worship? Brent talks with Brianna Lambert about her new IVP book ’Created to Play: How Taking Hobbies Seriously Grows Us Spiritually’. Brianna is a writer and author from a rural community outside Indianapolis.  Her articles and essays have appeared in a number of publications including ‘Christianity Today’ and ‘The Gospel Coalition’. Brianna serves on sta...

What’s the place of truth and morality in a society? Brent is joined by Hannah Long to discuss Jean Renoir’s classic 1939 movie ‘The Rules of the Game’. Hannah is a passionate cinephile.  She writes cultural commentary and film criticism for a number of publications including ‘The Despatch’, ‘Angelus News’, ‘The Bulwark’, ‘First Things’ and ‘Christianity Today’.   (0:40) Jean Renoir; (2:50) The ti...