The Laymens Lounge

Join us as we sit down with Seth Dillon, CEO of the Babylon Bee and co-founder of Not the Bee, asking him: 1. Having been at the helm of the Babylon Bee for awhile now, what has been the most mind-blowing thing that’s been sent to you? Like, has anybody gifted you an autographed Joe Montana football or maybe someone sent you a bag-full of their old fingernail clippings? 2. My fav Babylon Bee post...

(Ep. 56) Jordan Ballor: Being Discipled by Abraham Kuyper “Kuyper Must be Understood as an Artist” Few people have read, and know the works, of Abraham Kuyper (1837-1920) better than Dr. Jordan Ballor – editor of the 12 volume series: “ Abraham Kuyper Collected Works in Public Theology from” (Lexham Press). We might say that, though removed by over 100 years, Abraham Kuyper has discipled Jordan Ba...

On a Sunday afternoon in 1935, J. Gresham Machen stepped into a broadcast booth at WIP Radio in Philadelphia and began something no one had tried before: teaching Reformed theology over the radio. In the vein of C.S. Lewis’s landmark “Mere Christianity” talks, Machen’s addresses are a crystal-clear articulation of the basics of the Christian faith, unfolding into an exceptional and persuasive expl...

Part 1 of our 3-part-series where Danny Hyde gives us a primer on each of the 3 documents that comprise the Three Forms of Unity. Today Danny Hyde takes us to school on the gloriousness that is the Belgic Confession. Listen in as we ask discuss: 1. Can you give us a quick intro on what this thing is and why it should matter to a busy mom in 2021?  2. What groups or denominations use the Belgi...

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Guy Waters, contributor and co-editor of Covenant Theology: Biblical, Theological, and Historical Perspectives (Crossway, 2020), and discuss Covenant Theology asking: Is the principal of Covenant Theology something that a Bible reader could easily, or difficultly, glean from actively engaging their Bibles apart from secondary sources? How do we see Covenant Theology...

Dr. Craig Keener is a world-renowned Biblical scholar, and so, naturally, he believes the Bible, and takes seriously the command, when it says “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.” Listen in as we ask Dr. Keener (in connection with his book “Gift and Giver: The Holy Spirit for Today” Baker Academic) what the Biblical warrant to believe that Spir...

Join us as we sit down and pick the brain of the gracious T. Desmond Alexander in connection with his book " From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology" ( Kregel Academic & Professional). Questions include: Are we able to answer the question “ What is the chief end of God? And what is the role of       creation in that end?” What is meant...

A Glorious Discussion on How to Joyously Read the Old Testament I think this is one of the most practical and applicable interviews we’ve had yet. “ Joy is the word that comes to mind when I reflect on writing about typology and allegory ” is how Dr. Mitchel Chase opens up his book “ 40 Questions About Typology and Allegory ” (Kregel Academic). Listen as we sit down with Dr. Chase and discuss a wa...

Join us as we sit down with Winfield Bevins, author of " Simply Anglican: An Ancient Faith for Today's World " ( Anglican Compass , 2020), asking him why so many Christians are trading their “Jonathan Edwards is my homeboy” shirt for icons of Chrysostom and prayer books, and find out what itch Anglicanism and liturgy scratch that the new-Calvinism doesn’t.

Listen in as I try to interview John Goldingay on Genesis.

What are “Ethics”? What is the need for Ethics when we have Theology? What do ethics have to do with my normal life? How can I become the person I want to be? How can I try to live like Jesus and Hudson Taylor when they were at another level? How can I be a better human when Im depraved? All these, and more: listen in as we have a discussion with Dr. Pieter Vos around his new book “Longing for the...

There is a reason Tish Harrison Warren is widely received amongst us rank-and-file saints. She’s a Christian, she’s a human with hopes, fears and doubts. It seems many authors and teachers write and speak to the Christian’s normal lived-life by, unfortunately, responding to questions that nobody is really asking. But then there is Tish Harrison Warren. Here she invites us into her own journey of o...

“Dogmatics is far from an abstract business but is connected by a thousand and one threads to everyday life.” - Cornelis van der Kooi Is it weird to anybody else that Theology often seems like a gentleman’s club, a hobby for academics and has really very very little to say about the rest of us as we try to “work out [our] salvation”? Why must high-truth be placed so high so that I need astronomica...

"Unless we rest in God's personalizing of us, we will try and 'personalize' our faith through our own intensity and emotions. Often, the 'personalness' of the gospel is secured through second-rate means, such as gratitude for salvation, or an individual sense of God's presence, or a missional call. These are wonderful things, but they are false securities. On the contrary, the only thing that can...

"J. Gresham Machen was one of many to fall under the spell of football. 'When I see a vacant field on one of these autumn days,' Machen wrote to a friend while in Europe in 1905, 'my mind is filled with wonder at this benighted people which does not seem to hear the voice of nature when she commands every human being to play football or watch it being played.'” Join us we sit down with Dr. Paul Pu...

“ People have this weird and irrational tendency to begin a new year with the assumption that things will truly be new during the next twelve months, that calendar changes equal humanity changes. I admit, quite sheepishly, that I sometimes share this weird notion ... You think, My commitment to the straight and narrow is strong’ but your heart tells a far different and darker story.” - Chad Bird H...

Through thirty-three objects, Tim Challies explores the history of what God is accomplishing in this world, whether through princes or peasants, triumph or trial and (notating his findings in a book and DVD set). Each object offers a tangible link between the present and the past, between the Christians of the 21st century and those who lived and died in centuries past. Join us as we sit down with...

We had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Tom Schreiner to discuss the first couple chapters of Luke - asking how best to make sense of it all and have our calloused hearts hear the story afresh. Join us as we take a Christmas stroll through advent portions of Luke with the sweetheart of sweethearts the good Dr. Tom Schreiner

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Bird and discuss the second edition of his Systematic Theology and what needs he saw that would cause him to take the time to offer the world yet another Systematic Theology. “ I have generally believed that some theologians should be routinely slapped in the face with a soggy fish in order to try to smack some exegetical sense into them. You can only watch someone...

The life and trials of Nicholas of Myra the Saint who would be Santa Claus. Listen in as we sit down with Dr. Adam English and trace the evolution of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century Bishop (in modern-day Turkey), to who would become everyone’s favorite jolly toy yielding fat man: Santa Claus. Did he punch Arius? What's the deal with the red suite? Stockings and fireplaces? Saving prostitutes...

Listen as we sit down with Dr. Andrew Abernethy to discuss what the Old Testament expected of the coming Messiah and to what end? A conquering King? Forgiveness of sins? Flourishing? Justice? A suffering Servant? God Himself? Shalom? Fiscal Security?...

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Greg Lanier and discuss all things incarnation, asking questions like: 1. Why did the Messiah need to be born of a virgin so meek and mild? 2. Why did the Messiah need to be fully God and fully man? 3. What does it mean that Mary was “overshadowed” by the Spirit? 4. Is Mary to be called the “mother of God”? 5. In the humanity of Jesus He was like us in every way, bu...

Join us as we talk all things Christmas carols with the ever-gracious and holistic Richard Mouw. Dr. Mouw says, “I love Christmas carols, and I even find it inspiring to hear them sung in shopping malls. Some lines in particular tempt me to stop in my tracks. When, surrounded by bustling crowds, I hear that “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight,” I want to pause and try to...

Join us as we sit down with leading Islam and Quran scholar Dr. Gordon D. Nickel and ask questions in connection with his recent book, “The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam”: - If one were to read the Quran with a complete open-mind, and never heard of Islam or Christianity before, what would the main takeaways be as the big picture? - What are the i...

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Robert Tracy McKenzie as he helps separate fact from fiction on Pilgrims, the Mayflower and Thanksgiving. Dr. McKenzie is the author of “ The First Thanksgiving What the Real Story Tells Us About Loving God and Learning from History” (IVP Academic 2013), and we ask him: 1. Any notable people in that band, or did they leave anything behind as far as books or dogma th...