Mortification of Spin

John V. Fesko is the current Academic Dean and professor of Systematic and Historical Theology at Westminster Seminary California…but, he’s packing up and getting ready to move to Jackson, MS where he’ll be teaching at Reformed Theological Seminary. The team rolls up its proverbial sleeves and gives Fesko a hand with the boxes, while carrying out a conversation about his latest, “Reforming Apologe...

Simonetta Carr makes her return to the bunker. She’s written a number of Christian books (including some wonderful children’s biographies) and she’s also a contributor of Place for Truth, another Alliance website. This time around, Simonetta joins the team to talk about a very different kind of book she’s written lately: Broken Pieces, and the God Who Mends Them. It’s a memoir of her son, where sh...

Matthew Barrett is the associate professor of Christian Theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas, MO. Matthew joins in to chat about his latest work, None Greater: The Undomesticated Attributes of God. If you’re wondering what Matthew means by the word “undomesticated,” you’re not alone! Could it be that—because of our fallen, limited abilities to apprehend the infinite attrib...

Carl and Aimee travel to a much nicer bunker this week, enjoying the comfort of Todd’s fully renovated quarters in VA. Joining them is Tim Geiger, president of Harvest USA, to chat about his sessions on Gender, Sexuality, and What it Means to be Human, the theme of this year’s Blue Ridge Bible Conference. Tim tells us how Harvest USA began, and how its focus has expanded as the needs of the church...

After the announcement that the physical Lifeway stores are closing down, the crew reflects on the nostalgic feeling of browsing through books in a brick and mortar bookstore, and the happiness derived from those “accidental findings” on the shelves. The three weigh the pros and cons of purchasing books from local businesses vs. online shopping. Later, our peerless podcasters discuss the neglect o...

Along with the preached word, there’s another important aspect central to the life of a church: how the members of the body interact throughout the week. Tony Payne heads the Center for Christian Living at Moore College in Sydney, Australia. He’s also a director at Matthias Media. One of Tony’s most well-known books is The Trellis and the Vine, but today he’s been summoned to the bunker to chat up...

The crew huddles in the bunker to discuss a two-volume work that has gotten a lot of attention since its publication last summer. The Devil’s Redemption by Michael McClymond is a thorough, scholarly work and honest critique of Universalism in all its forms. Is Universalism the same as Christian Universalism? It’s important to observe how popular evangelicalism has been affected by strands of seeml...

At first glance, drinking coffee or watching birds on a telephone wire might not inspire a sense of wonder. But can we find more in these ordinary moments? Pierce Taylor Hibbs is the associate director of the Theological English Department at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia, and he’s joined the conversation to help us recognize the sacred in that which may seem mundane. Pierce has...

The lines of battle are drawn early in this debate, as Todd accuses Carl and Aimee of being too “inclusive,” and Carl and Todd indict Aimee for being, well…female. Sounds like a typical day in the bunker! More importantly, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, along with Covenant Presbyterian and P&R Publishing, are joining forces to host Gender, Sexuality, and What it Means to be Human—the Blu...

Carl is on his very best behavior today—his boss is in the house! David Ayers is professor of sociology, and interim provost of Grove City College. He joins us, not to talk about Carl’s performance at work (which could be very interesting), but about his own recent work: Christian Marriage: A Comprehensive Introduction. What makes this book distinctive? David addresses marriage, not simply from a...

Liam Goligher is back. He’s one of the speakers at the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology, coming up this March in Grand Rapids and April in Philadelphia. The theme of the conference this year is Redemption Accomplished and Applied. From the comfort of his living room couch, Liam chats with the Spin Team about one of his messages—"Sanctification by Grace”—and how that process is vitally...

The rising degradation of human life cannot be overlooked, as—recently—we witnessed New York’s governor signing an abortion bill into law as legislators celebrated their newly-expanded “right” to kill the unborn. If that wasn’t bad enough, a few days later Virginia’s legislators introduced an even more radical bill calling for abortion up to, and during, the process of the baby’s delivery. Have yo...

About three years ago, the Reformed quarters of the Internet were consumed with a fiery debate over the doctrine of the Trinity. Fast forward, and we find the Spin revisiting the topic today with Glenn Butner. He’s assistant professor of theology and Christian ministry at Sterling College, and author of The Son Who Learned Obedience: A Theological Case Against the Eternal Submission of the Son. In...

One can only wonder what a Mortification of Spin band would look and sound like. But today it’s not about music; it’s about the most popular Mortification of Spin episodes of 2018.After a few minutes of squabbling between Todd and Aimee about toxic masculinity, razor commercials, and more, we finally get into our topic. The crew does a recap of each of “the five greatest,” and recognize that the i...

Back in the bunker, the three amigos meet with Julie Roys. Julie is the embodied combination of Sherlock Holmes and Lois Lane. She’s a longtime investigative reporter committed to uncovering the truth, and—much like Carl, Todd, and Aimee—interested in “mortifying the spin” concerning issues in the contemporary church. Julie has achieved some notoriety for her investigative work and her latest cove...

What do you do when you make a mistake that affects, perhaps, over a million people in their youth; an error that would cause many to regret their decisions more than 20 years later? The crew grabs some popcorn to watch and discuss Joshua Harris’ documentary, I Survived “I Kissed Dating Goodbye”. The intrepid trio is ready to comment on the “Purity Culture”, those responsible for its proliferation...

Some churches are taking a break from worship on the Lord’s Day, and the crew brings the topic under the spotlight. A sound, biblical doctrine of worship, and of the means of grace, are essential to the understanding of why God’s people gather on the Lord’s Day. It’s how we recognize and appreciate the benefits we receive from the Lord through the preaching of His word, through the Lord’s supper,...

Listener Sam has called upon the crew to address missions, in light of the terribly sad death of missionary John Chau in the North Sentinel Island. The topic has stirred up strong emotions and opinions about missions in the media; it has even compelled Todd to resume Tweeting. The death of Mr. Chau has been compared to Jim Elliot’s, but the crew disagrees, and is willing to explain why. General pr...

Is “out with the old, in with the new” something you can do with parts of the Bible? The crew takes a look at a statement made by Andy Stanley, suggesting that Christians “unhitch” the Old Testament from their faith. Meanwhile, Carl digs into his historical archives and pulls a file of someone who made the same statement some 1,850 years ago. Imagine what Paul and the apostles would have had left...

After a delicious Christmas dinner and dessert, Aimee, Carl, and Todd relax around the fireplace and answer some Christmas ‘letters’ from listeners. For example: Are nativity scenes with baby Jesus in the manger a second commandment violation? Some attribute the origin of Christmas to a pagan tradition, and the Christmas church service as an infringement of the regulative principle of worship. The...

This week’s destination is the Evergreen State of Washington. The crew meets with Mark Ward, author of Authorized: The Use and Misuse of the King James Bible. In his book, Mark considers—on one hand—the value of the KJV, and what we lose when we put aside the still most-read bible translation in the US. On the other hand, what happens when we cling to James’ Authorized Version with an unhealthy de...

To put the brakes on the Spin, the crew is addressing some very important questions sent by the listeners…like this, from Scott S. in Orlando: Will there be peanut butter in the new heaven and new earth? And, if so—creamy or crunchy? The theological implications are staggering. It’s totally OK if you don’t like the way your pastor parts his hair, or even his choice of psychedelic print ties, but i...

Most people have heard of the famous Charles H. Spurgeon, also known as the “Prince of Preachers.” Ray Rhodes dug deeper—delving into Spurgeon’s family life—and found Spurgeon’s greatest earthly treasure: his wife, Susannah. Ray serves as pastor of Grace Community Church in Dawsonville, GA and is president of Nourished in the Word Ministries. It was during his doctoral studies that Pastor Rhodes d...

The crew sits down with Michael Allen to chat about his latest, Grounded in Heaven - Recentering Christian Hope and Life on God. Allen is the John Dyer Trimble Professor of Systematic Theology and academic dean at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando. He’s also a multiple-time guest, making the professor a real Spin survivor! This time around, Michael challenges the contemporary idea of a new...

Westminster Seminary California is a confessional institution committed to supplying churches with Bible specialists--and we’re about to find out how they do it. The crew shares a sit-down with Dr. Joel Kim. He’s the president of WSC, and passionate about the great mission and privilege of preparing men and women to serve. Joel’s happy to share his thoughts about the vital role of the local church...