the Proclaim & Defend Podcast

Some things have to be repeated over and over.  This is one of them. Respect of persons is a sin. Racism is a sin. And for the same reasons, anti-semitism is a sin. There are basic biblical principles that apply here. Choices of blessing and cursing belong to God, not man. God’s choice to bless Isaac with the Abrahamic covenant was God’s alone (Genesis 12 and 15). Human beings do not get to veto G...

Therefore, I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4)   As dis...

We grew up calling them cow chips. You know what they are. It goes in as grass, comes out as manure, and once dried becomes a “chip.” Where no oxen are, the trough is clean; but much increase comes by the strength of an ox. (Proverbs 14:4) This is one of the most important verses in scripture about setting priorities in every aspect of life. Consider the ancient farmer who plows his field under hu...

The January/February edition of  FrontLine  magazine was on the topic, “Redeeming the Culture?” Our authors are examining first of all whether we should set cultural reformation as our goal, and then, depending on our answer, what we should do about it. For this interview, I sat down with Matt Shrader, professor of Historical Theology at Central Baptist Theological Seminary. His article is called,...

One of the lasting vestiges of communism/socialism is the idea that the state can replace the family in the essential roles that the family has played for millennia. It was a social experiment that has proven itself a failure and yet it continues, fomented by an anti-God fervor that is sending humanity to its destruction, not only in the hereafter but also in the here and now. The essentials of bi...

The January/February edition of FrontLine magazine was on the topic, “Redeeming the Culture?” Our authors are examining first of all whether we should set cultural reformation as our goal, and then, depending on our answer, what we should do about it. For this interview, I sat down with Kevin Bauder, the Associate Editor for this edition of the magazine and author of one of the articles. You can r...

I want to make this one short and very clear. The enshrinement of abortion in state constitutions and the normalization of abortion in the United States has been going on for 50 years, but this is a first. The Vice President of the United States of America, a woman who has actively opposed ANY restrictions on abortion whatsoever, visited an abortion provider. This visit was a first in American his...

It’s the economy, stupid!” It was a phrase coined by James Carville to focus the 1992 Clinton campaign, and everyone else, on one singular issue he thought was a campaign winner—and it worked. Politicians, especially as campaigners like to keep their message focused. This coming election is no exception.  The 2020 election was a referendum on Covid. The 2022 election was an abortion referendum. Th...

Our last interview for the FrontLine edition, The God of Beauty , is with Dr. Jonathan Johnson who serves the Lord in Hongkong. Jonathan has a background in art and graphic design as well as extensive ministerial training. His article discusses the how and why of creating beauty and we sat down for an interesting conversation about it. If you are a paying subscriber, you can read the full article...

I wrote last week about the intrinsic tie between a Chinese religious cult called Falun Gong and the popular conservative newspaper called Epoch Times . I have been asked for a follow-up and explanation. The Association with Falun Gong One of the original clues I saw regarding the relationship between the Epoch Times and Falong Gong was the full-page advertisements for the Epoch Times in the Shen...

I fell for it. It eventually gets difficult to buy gifts for older people. After all, they have almost everything they need—in fact, usually more than they need. So, for my 86-year-old mother, we have been in the habit of buying tickets to the symphony or other such concerts as Christmas and birthday presents. But even with classical forms of entertainment, we have to be careful to ensure there ar...

In our FrontLine Interviews series, we turn to an article from our “The God of Beauty” edition of FL to an article by Doug Bachorik, chairman of the music department at Maranatha Baptist University. His contribution speaks to the beauty of music in our worship services, but points out that it isn’t beauty for beauty’s sake, rather all of it must contribute to the purpose of worship, conforming us...

On February 13, 2023, Matthew Loftus at meerorthdoxy.com published an article entitled You can’t Reclaim the Culture by Having More Kids. This has been a sort of mantra of the home school movement for the last 25 years or so. After all, Islam is taking Europe through immigration and population growth in the same way, isn’t it? This brings up a long-held conversation about Christians and culture th...

In “The Art of Appreciating Beauty,” pastor Mike Riley’s main point is that appreciating beauty according to God’s standard is a sanctification issue. The Bible offers guidance for understanding beauty, discerning when something beautiful is tainted by human sin, and teaches us to cultivate an appreciation for that which God calls beautiful. If we are to conform to God’s standards when it comes to...

Many of you have been watching the story of Alistair Begg unfold over the last few weeks. Begg shared a story in a September 2023 interview about how he had advised a grandmother to go ahead and attend a grandchild’s transgender wedding. That advice presumed that the grandchild understood the grandmother’s Christian testimony and her opposition to gay marriage. . . . he replied to the grandmother...

As we look at the problems of the seven local churches in Revelation 2-3, Pergamos is considered by most as the compromising church. The editors of the NKJV have given it this name, as have many others. It is important to carefully note what the problems were with this church and what the Lord thought about them. Read the rest of this article here (after 9 PM Eastern, Feb 4, 2024) or just listen t...

Revelation 2 and 3 contain letters from Jesus Christ to the Seven Churches of Asia Minor. There has been a lot of speculation regarding the exact nature of these churches and what they represent.  I remember hearing that these churches represent seven church ages or epochs that stretch from the first century until the second coming of Jesus Christ.  Of course, the primary application was that we a...

Our latest edition of FrontLine is called, “The God of Beauty.” We introduced this edition with Interview 20, where coordinating editor Mark Herbster laid out his objectives in assembling writers to address this topic. You can catch that interview here . This week we are talking to Scott Aniol who is the vice president and editor-in-chief at G3 Ministries and professor of Pastoral Theology at Grac...

Recently, a question came in for me about the lie of Rahab in Joshua 2. Rahab lived in Jericho, the first city in line as Israel marched into the Promised Land. Israel sent two spies into Jericho. Rahab somehow met them and offered them lodging. When the thing became known, she hid them in the stalks of flax on her roof, her house forming part of the city wall (Josh 2.6). When questioned by the au...

Our latest edition of  FrontLine  is called, “The God of Beauty.” We introduced this edition with Interview 20, where coordinating editor Mark Herbster laid out his objectives in assembling writers to address this topic. You can catch that interview  here . Last week we talked to David de Bruyn on  The Meaning of Beauty . This week, we continue our conversation with David, discussing his second ar...

Dispensationalism Revisited: A 21st Century Restatement , Central Baptist Theological Seminary (Nov. 21 2023) [Support the FBFI by buying through our link.] I was reorganizing my desk after teaching a grad-level seminary block class last week and to my surprise I found a new book placed upon a pile of papers. It is entitled Dispensationalism Revisited: A 21st Century Restatement. I began to look i...

Our latest edition of  FrontLine  is called, “The God of Beauty.” We introduced this edition with Interview 20, where coordinating editor Mark Herbster laid out his objectives in assembling writers to address this topic. You can catch that interview here . Today’s interview opens the topic as David de Bruyn discusses The Meaning of Beauty . Paying subscribers can read his article here, all others...

Brandon Poulter at the Daily Caller published an article on the craziest courses being offered in institutions of “higher” learning across the US. Here are some extensive quotes from his horrible list. Princeton University offered a class titled “Black + Queer in Leather: Black Leather/BDSM Material Culture” in the Spring 2023 semester, according to the university’s course catalog. The class will...

Today, we are publishing our final bit of audio from our summer Annual Meeting at Faith Baptist Bible College in Ankeny, Iowa. We spread it out a little too long, I think. Next year you will get it at a more rapid pace. Our theme for the conference was “Reclaiming the Great Commission.” Besides the preaching sessions, our speakers and other leaders conducted several outstanding Workshop sessions,...

Our latest edition of FrontLine is called, “The God of Beauty.” Most of us probably have some idea of what beauty is, although we also probably don’t agree with each other on every assessment of beauty one might make. These disagreements lead some to conclude that beauty is entirely subjective, inside myself, basically “what I like.” This view can lead to some pretty bizarre ideas about what is be...