Theology for the People

What does it mean that the Holy Spirit “proceeds from the Father” — and why did adding  “and the Son” (Filioque) , lead to one of the greatest divisions in church history? In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady is joined by Shane Angland to unpack the history, theology, and ongoing significance of the Filioque controversy. Together, they explore the origins of the Nicene Creed, th...

What happens when we read a theologian like John Owen alongside voices from across church history? In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady interviews Kelly Kapic and Ty Kieser, authors of  Owen Among the Theologians: Conversations Across the Christian Tradition . In this conversation, we explore: Why theology is best done in conversation, not isolation How John Owen interacts with...

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady sits down with theologian and professor Bradley Green to unpack one of the most commonly mentioned but rarely understood ideas in today’s cultural moment:  critical theory . Many people have heard of critical race theory—but Green explains that critical theory is actually a much older and broader worldview rooted in Marxist thought and develo...

What if repentance isn’t something to dread—but something to  celebrate ? In this episode of  Theology for the People , host Nick Cady sits down with author and pastor Chris Brauns to talk about his new book  The Way of Repentance: Embracing God’s Gift for a Transformed Life . For many people, the word “repentance” seems negative, but the Bible presents repentance not as a burden, but as a gift th...

In this episode of Theology for the People, host Nick Cady sits down with Michael Payne, Worship Pastor at White Fields Community Church , to talk about what makes worship in the church both biblical and healthy. Drawing from the insights of "Worship Matters" by Bob Kauflin , they explore 9 essential tensions that every church must navigate when it comes to worship and music. What does i...

What does persecution actually look like in the places where the gospel is least known? And how should Christians think about persecution in relation to missions? In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady speaks with missionary and author  Matt Rhodes  about his 15 years serving as a church planter in North Africa among a Muslim-majority tribal community. Matt shares stories from the...

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady is joined by recurring guest  Shane Angland to explore the question:  Did the early church fathers view Scripture the way Protestants do today—or is the Protestant view of the Bible a Reformation novelty? Nick and Shane walk through  patristic theology  and discuss how figures like  Irenaeus, Athanasius, Chrysostom, Jerome, and Augustine  spo...

In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick Cady sits down with Bruce Zachary, founding and teaching pastor of Calvary Nexus (Camarillo, California), to explore the Passover Seder meal—what it is, why it matters, and how it points powerfully to Jesus the Messiah. Bruce shares his story of growing up in an observant Jewish home and later coming to faith in Christ after visiting Calvary Chapel...

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady speaks with  Murray Smith  (Christ College, Sydney) to talk about one of Jesus’ most debated teachings:  the Olivet Discourse  (Mark 13, Matthew 24–25, Luke 21). Murray gives a candid snapshot of the  state of evangelical Christianity in Australia , and from there, the conversation turns to Murray’s book  Jesus’ Speech on the Mount of Olives...

What is Lent really about? Should evangelicals practice it? And did you know that the early church celebrated Easter for 40 days? In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady explores the fascinating history of Lent — from its origins in the early church to its evolution over the centuries. What began as a 40-day preparation for baptism eventually became a widespread season of fasting a...

What does it really mean to be an apprentice of Jesus in a fragmented world? In this episode of Theology for the People , Pastor Heath Hardesty shares how his years as an apprentice plumber shaped his vision for discipleship and following Jesus. Heath is the Lead Pastor of Valley Community Church (VCC) in Pleasanton, California, and the author of the recent book, All Things Together: How Apprentic...

What does faithful, biblical care for widows look like, and why does the Bible say that it is at the heart of "pure religion"? Susan VandePol became a widow when her husband—a Los Angeles City firefighter—died following a line-of-duty exposure. Out of her own grief the Lord led her to create practical protocols for fire departments and churches, and to host deeply healing widows’ retreat...

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Pastor Nick Cady is joined by Pastor Stephen Pomeroy from White Fields Community Church to explore the fascinating story of the  conversion of the Vikings . Stephen, who also hosts the  Viking Legacy and Lore  podcast, shares how his personal heritage sparked an interest in Viking history and mythology, and how he approaches it from a Christian perspec...

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady talks with  Sharon Markey  — missionary, pastor’s wife, and author of the forthcoming book  Finding Home Again . Sharon shares her family’s story of serving in Ukraine for nearly two decades, planting churches in Kyiv, and how the war suddenly uprooted their lives. We discuss: What it means to be a refugee and how displacement affects faith a...

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady sits down with pastor and author Matt McCullough to discuss his new book  Remember Heaven . Building on the themes of his previous book  Remember Death , Matt explores how the biblical vision of heaven is meant to shape our lives here and now—not just as a future hope, but as a present motivation for rest, urgency, and faithful discipleship....

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick Cady speaks with David Mathis, author of  A Little Theology of Exercise: Enjoying Christ in Body and Soul ,  to explore the spiritual significance of physical health. This conversation looks at the theology of the body, and how caring for our bodies can actually deepen our discipleship, improve our service to others, and shape how we glorify God w...

In this episode, Nick Cady is joined by Sandra Peoples — a disability ministry consultant, author, and pastor's wife — to discuss her new book: Accessible Church: A Gospel-Centered Vision for Including People with Disabilities and Their Families Sandra shares from personal experience as both a sister and mother of individuals with disabilities, and she casts a compelling vision for churches to bec...

In this episode of  Theology for the People , Nick talks with Dr. Drew Martin, professor of theology and church history at Covenant Theological Seminary. Drew shares about his pastoral journey, his transition to academia, and why he wrote his new book on Francis Grimké — an influential but often overlooked African American Presbyterian pastor, church leader, and early civil rights advocate. They d...

In this episode host Nick Cady talks with Matt Smethurst about his new book  Tim Keller on the Christian Life . Matt shares about his ministry journey, why Tim Keller’s legacy is still so valuable for the church today, and what he discovered while sifting through Keller’s sermons, books, and endnotes. They discuss Keller’s approach to contextualization, evangelism, friendship, and what it means to...

What does it mean to follow Jesus in an age of constant distraction and digital overload? In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick Cady is joined by Brett McCracken — senior editor at The Gospel Coalition and editor of the new book  Scrolling Ourselves to Death . Drawing inspiration from Neil Postman’s classic  Amusing Ourselves to Death , this conversation explores how modern technology i...

In this episode, Nick Cady is joined by pastor and author Ray Ortlund Jr. to talk about how God's grace meets us in our lowest moments. Ray  is the president of Renewal Ministries , and the pastor to pastors at Immanuel Church in Nashville. He is an Old Testament scholar, has taught as a professor, and was a contributor to the ESV Study Bible. Drawing from Isaiah 57:15 and Ray’s personal exper...

Everyone who reads the Bible engages in interpretation whether they realize it or not - so how do we do it faithfully and well? In this episode, Pastor Jon Nielsen of Christ Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, IL joins to discuss his latest book, Understanding God's Word , the third installment in his Theology Basics series. John shares his background in ministry, from campus work at Princeton to serv...

In this episode, Pastor Nick Cady interviews Pastor Miles DiBenedictus of Cross Connection Church in Escondido, California. Miles is a PhD student at Southern Seminary studying AI ethics, and in this discussion, they explore the topic of  epistemology : what it is, why it matters, and how it affects everything from how we read the Bible to how we navigate truth in a world of misinformation and dig...

What is the enduring legacy of the early church councils, and what role should they play in the lives of Bible-believing Christians today? In this episode, host Nick Cady is joined again by Matt Pursely, Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, California and graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary with a focus on Historical Theology, to discuss what happened after Chalcedon, and wh...

In this episode, Nick Cady in joined by Sebastian Frappier, to discuss his incredible journey from a professional acting career to planting a church in the highly secular city of Montreal, Quebec. Sebastian shares how a moment of spiritual emptiness led him to encounter Jesus through a Gideon Bible on Guadalupe Mountain in Texas. He reflects on his 12-year journey of preparation, the unique challe...