the Proclaim & Defend Podcast

We are discussing the July/August edition of FrontLine, featuring the theme "Growing Fathers." Growing Fathers is not only the theme of this edition but it is also a blog and a podcast. We include links here in our show notes. Our guest today is Chris Pennington. His article for FrontLine was called, "5 Things Kids Need to Hear Dad Say" The article was published a few years ago on the Growing Fath...

As a young pastor, I watched my mother walk a path that many dread but most will eventually face — the journey of caring for aging parents. First, it was my grandfather, whose health declined rapidly and who passed away in my parents’ home — in the very room that had once been mine. A few years later, my grandmother battled bone cancer. The pain and complexity of her condition was beyond my mother...

We are discussing the July/August edition of FrontLine, featuring the theme "Growing Fathers." Growing Fathers is not only the theme of this edition but it is also a blog and a podcast. We include links here in our show notes. Our guest today is John Dalrymple, who also serves as the host of the Growing Fathers podcast. His article for FrontLine was called, "Jesus’ Guide to Praying for Your Childr...

As parents age, the dynamics of family life shift in profound ways. One of the most important—and often overlooked—conversations aging parents must have is about their end-of-life care. This isn’t a topic to delay until crisis strikes. It’s a conversation that should happen while minds are clear, hearts are open, and options are available. The Urgency of the Conversation Aging parents must speak w...

Today we begin our podcast series on the July/August edition of FrontLine, featuring the theme "Growing Fathers." Growing Fathers is not only the theme of this edition but it is also a blog and a podcast. We include links here in our show notes. Our conversation today is with Kristopher Schaal who put the magazine together this time. His duties here came on short notice as one of our regular Assoc...

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”— Proverbs 10:19 There are people in my life whom I cannot ever remember hearing sin with their words. It’s remarkable, I know. My father was one of them. He was the kindest person I’ve known—very careful with his words, an encourager. He didn’t avoid sin by being silent, but by offering encouragement and reproof...

One of the most insightful chapters in Roy Hession’s classic, Calvary Road , (( Calvary Road , paperback version)) is titled “Revival in the Home.” In it, Hession identifies two primary forces that erode family unity: a lack of openness and a misunderstanding of biblical love. At first glance, I questioned the emphasis on openness. “Really? That’s the first problem?” I thought. But as I reflected...

Last year we published an edition of FrontLIne with the theme, " God, the Christian, and Human Government ." We interviewed most of our authors for that edition, but one of them was in the middle of writing a dissertation so he wasn't able to talk about his article at that time. This week, I had the chance to sit down with my friend Mike Ascher and talk about his article, "Mutual Aid: The Christia...

Our guest today is Cléa Rathbun, the wife of our Associate Editor for the May/June edition of FrontLine. The theme of this issue was “The Christian School Revival” and we will conclude our podcasts on this edition with this episode. Cléa’s article was called, “The Benefits of a Christian School Education.” Her article discusses Christian education mostly from a parent’s perspective, although she h...

John MacArthur entered heaven on Monday at the age of 86. It’s difficult to know exactly what to say about him, as members of our fellowship hold widely differing views regarding him. In many aspects of his ministry, MacArthur was a fundamentalist—though he resisted that label. A fifth-generation preacher, his family’s gospel ministry traces back to Canada and Scotland. He became pastor of Grace C...

We plan our worship services several months in advance. We choose themes for each service and discuss how to introduce them. Last Sunday, our chosen theme was “Our Good God.” In the canon of worship themes we use, the goodness of God is not as difficult to explain as something like transcendence or immanence. But on Sunday, July 6, 2025, it was hard. As we filed into the church and greeted one ano...

We are talking to our authors for the Frontline edition on the theme, "The Christian School Revival." For today's podcast, I'm talking again to the associate editor for this edition, Ken Rathbun. This podcast discusses Ken's second article in the magazine, "Why We Need More Christian School Teachers for Christian Schools." There is a great need in the church for more Christians who are willing to...

We are still discussing the May/June edition of Frontline which was on the theme, The Christian School Revival. Our guest this time is Shannon Steuerwald, who, along with her husband Steve, serves at Ironwood Christian Camp in California. Shannon is the principal of Ironwood Christian Academy and has a lifetime of experience in Christian education. Her article is called, "A Heavenly Take on Nerdin...

Nearly everyone in the world holds a strong opinion—often a deep, visceral attitude—about Jews and the state of Israel. These attitudes are largely rooted in religious thinking. What Is Antisemitism? According to Antisemitism.org : “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward...

I’ve already talked to some of our authors for the Frontline edition on the theme, “The Christian School Revival.” If you’ve missed those sessions, I encourage you to go back and look at them. For today’s podcast, I’m talking to the associate editor for this edition, Ken Rathbun. This podcast discusses the theme as a whole and also takes a look at Ken’s opening article, “A History and Assessment o...

Today we are looking at the May/June edition of FrontLine which came out recently. The theme of this edition is “The Christian School Revival.” My conversation for this podcast is with Mark Stupka, who teaches in the education department of Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa. The title of his article might surprise you, “How to Spot a Counterfeit Christian School.” In the opening editoria...

In the last twenty years, major cities across the United States have experienced a dramatic influx of immigrants—both legal and illegal—from every corner of the globe. My own neighborhood is now 75% Indian. Yet, fundamental churches have not excelled at reaching these domestic ethnic communities. We are far more comfortable ministering to “our own,” or waiting until these communities have American...

Today we are looking at the May/June edition of FrontLine which came out recently. The theme of this edition is “The Christian School Revival.” Though I was educated in public schools, that was a long time ago. I am a firm believer in Christian education if it is at all possible for today’s Christian families. When we were raising our kids, we didn’t have good local Christian schools, so we opted...

Be careful not to confuse soteriology with progressive or experiential sanctification. While both are essential aspects of the believer’s relationship with God, they are not the same. I see “discernment” articles on the internet criticizing classic Christian books by attacking fellowship principles as if they are salvation principles. Confusing the two can lead to theological errors, spiritual ins...

In an age where information is abundant and attention spans are short, the pulpit remains a sacred space where truth is proclaimed and lives are transformed. Yet, not all preaching is created equal. Some sermons stir the soul, while others barely register. What makes the difference? Why do some messages feel alive while others fall flat? The answer lies not in eloquence or education alone, but in...

We are working through the May/June issue of FrontLine which just came out on the theme "The Christian School Revival." Today I am talking to a recently retired pastor who happened to be a classmate of mine way back in the day, Dan MacAvoy. His article is in the middle section of the magazine, the part that's called, "The Pastor's Insert." As I've said before, this section isn't just for pastors....

Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that [ a ] moves on the earth.” Genesis 1:28 This is the first command God ever gave to human beings—before any other commandments including not to eat of the Tree. It is a pregnant command that demands...

Today we are starting to look at a new edition of FrontLine, the May/June issue which came out just this week. We will publish the FrontLine promo article on Proclaim & Defend this coming Tuesday. The theme of this edition is "The Christian School Revival." I'm going to include a copy of a brief note in the magazine, "Why This Topic?" from our president, Kevin Schaal, as part of today's show notes...

The woman said to Him, “Sir, I perceive that You are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship.” Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the...

Our episode this week is a little unusual in that we have no FrontLine article as the background. We do have a FrontLine issue in mind, the January/February edition on "AI: Developing a Christian Perspective." There is much to consider on this subject and our authors got me thinking a lot about it as I worked through their articles. Whether we like it or not, AI will be part of our lives going for...