Reasonable Theology Podcast

What does the Bible say about the role of elders in the church? On this episode, we explore the biblical foundation for church leadership, looking at key passages that outline the responsibilities, qualifications, and importance of elders in guiding the body of Christ. Discover how biblical eldership supports healthy, thriving churches and how this leadership structure follows the example set in t...

Who were the 12 Apostles? Do you think you could name them all without looking it up? In this video, we'll consider the lives of Jesus' closest disciples, exploring their backgrounds, where they appear in Scripture, their roles in spreading Christianity, and what tradition teaches about their deaths.  Support the show GET THE NEWSLETTER Each edition of the Reasonable Theology newsletter...

The health and effectiveness of a church depends on the health and effectiveness of each individual believer, just as the health and vitality of your physical body is dependent on its individual parts. Romans 12:3-8 says: For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measu...

As RC Sproul has said, “The issue for Christians is not whether we are going to be theologians, but whether we are going to be good theologians or bad ones.”  These books are trustworthy resources to help you become a better theologian. 1) Systematic Theology Biblical Doctrine: A Systematic Summary of Bible Truth, MacArthur   Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Christian Belief, John Frame   S...

I’ve been doing some exciting work on a project I told you about earlier in the year. I’ve taken on CHSpurgeon.com and have been building up the content of that site dedicated to edifying resources by and about the Prince of Preachers, Charles Haddon Spurgeon. And so I’m especially excited to announce a brand new podcast – The Spurgeon Legacy Podcast. While I’ll continue to create articles, videos...

All of our theological studies must begin with and be checked against the Word of God. These resources will help you dig deeper into Scripture: 📙 A Study Bible There are lots of good ones out there. Consider: - The ESV Study Bible (https://amzn.to/3s4jcU8) - Reformation Study Bible (https://amzn.to/3OyaeWS) - MacArthur Study Bible (https://amzn.to/3QtE5lC) - NASB Grace and Truth Study Bible (http...

The Holy Spirit has been referred to as the “forgotten member of the Trinity.” At one extreme there are those who all but ignore the person and work of the Spirit and at the other extreme there are those who stray from Scripture in seeking to harness the power of the Spirit for their own purposes. We don’t want to commit either of these errors, but instead we desire to have a right understanding o...

Just as one cannot see the entire Mississippi river when standing in its headwaters, believers initially see only a part of their salvation when they come to Christ. Romans 8:28-30 provides a high enough vantage point to reveal that God’s work in salvation begins in eternity past with His foreknowledge and extends into eternity future with our glorification. This full view assures believers of the...

Life-expectancy worldwide is twice what it was a hundred years ago. And because of modern medicine, many of us don’t often see death up close. That makes it easy to live as if death is someone else’s problem. It isn’t. On this archive episode of the Reasonable Theology podcast we sit down with Matthew McCullough, a pastor and author who recently published a book called Remember Death: The Surprisi...

Did the United States truly have a Christian founding, or were the Founders simply Deists who desired to create a secular nation? This question has been hotly debated for generations, and our society increasingly regards the idea of America's Christian heritage as something to be minimized, rejected, or denied. So what is the truth regarding the faith of the Founders and how it influenced the...

Back when he was an avowed atheist, J Warner Wallace put his skills as a cold-case homicide detective to work investigating the claims of the Gospels and became a follower of Jesus. Now he is a speaker, apologist, and an author as well as a Senior Fellow at the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, an adjunct professor of apologetics at Biola University, and a faculty member at Summit Ministries....

In Pauls' letter to the Philippians, we find a profound analogy for Christians living in this world: just as the citizens of Philippi lived as Romans despite their geographical distance from Rome, believers are called to live as citizens of heaven while residing on earth.  The Philippians embraced Roman customs, language, and loyalty because they cherished the glory and power of Rome. Similar...

What does it mean to be well-read? How can we choose which books are worth our time and which ones aren’t? Is it okay to give up on a book we’re not enjoying? Do audiobooks ‘count’ as reading? On this episode of the podcast we’re tackling all of these questions and a lot more. Our guest is Andy Naselli, professor at Bethlehem College and Seminary and author of How to Read a Book: Advice for Christ...

Each week, Christians around the world gather to worship with their local congregations. How this looks varies from church to church, but there are some aspects that should always be included. Here are 4 essential elements of a worship service. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES ▶ The Regulative Principle of Worship ♫ Psalm Singing Resources 🗒️ Principles for Public Prayer from John Newton 🎧 The Source of the...

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose.” - Romans 8:28. This is a well-known and well-loved verse, and yet it is commonly misused, misunderstood, and misapplied. The problem is not that people misuse Romans 8:28 by making it say too much, but by making it say too little. If we do not understand what it is that R...

The Puritans are, at the same time, highly regarded and highly disdained—depending on who you ask. There are many caricatures about who the Puritans were, what they taught, and what they can still teach us today. On top of this, much of their writing can seem difficult for the modern reader. So why should we bother with the Puritans? On this episode I have a conversation with Dr. Don Kistler about...

We all have a stack of books that we'd like to read but haven't gotten through yet. So how can we read more books, faster? Thankfully, the answer isn't found in speed reading or in simply reading shorter books. Instead, these four simple tips will help you read more books in less time. HELPFUL RESOURCES MENTIONED: 🗎 Book List Spreadsheet Template (Plus recommended books) [You'l...

Are Christians still required to keep the Sabbath? And what does keeping the Sabbath really look like? On this episode we will answer these important questions and many others as we consider the role of the sabbath in the Christian life through the lens of the convictions and teachings of Charles Spurgeon. We’ll hear from Pastor Brandon Rhea who has a new book out titled “Spurgeon's Forgotten...

In Romans 10:13-15, the Apostle Paul declares that “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  Having shared this truth, he asks a series of questions: "How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are s...

The apostle Paul wrote that "if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:14). A few verses later he said, "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins." The Resurrection is the central truth claim of the Christian faith. Or, as our guest puts it, itis the bedrock of Christianity...

Reading the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles after reading 1 & 2 Kings can feel like deja vu. You might ask yourself, 'Didn't I just read this?' There are so many similarities between the books of Kings and Chronicles that some wonder why we have both sets of Israel's history in our Bibles at all. In this video, we'll discuss the similarities and differences between King...

The responsibility of imparting biblical wisdom to our kids is both a privilege and a challenge. How can we help our children not only learn about the Bible but grow to love it? Danica Cooley, an award-winning children's author and Bible curriculum developer, joins us on the Reasonable Theology Podcast to share her insights on this crucial topic. With years of experience and a passion for rai...

If scholars faithfully use reliable manuscripts when translating Scripture, why do we have different versions of the Bible? Perhaps the most vital thing to understand about different Bible versions: by their very nature translations are NEVER word for word. Translators must interpret to some degree, and how they go about this process falls into two philosophies: FORMAL EQUIVALENCE or DYNAMIC EQUIV...

In his book Humble Calvinism, author J.A. Medders writes: "Many of us who love to love the “doctrines of grace” have not grown in showing grace. We have not become more gracious, kind, tender, and compassionate. And that can only mean one thing: we actually don’t know the doctrines of grace. Sure, we know the points and can rehearse the arguments ...But an arrogant and argumentative Calvinist...

In the book of Titus, Paul is instructing Titus to remind these Christians of how they are to live lives pleasing to God in a pagan land of Crete. Crete was known across the ancient world for its immorality; Paul quotes one of their own poets who claimed “Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.” How were Christians to live in such a culture? More than a question of personal obedience...