The Crossway Podcast

In today's episode, Lydia Brownback talks about her experience of the pandemic and its effects on her social life as a single person, and how Christians can rally together and support one another in the wake of two years of social isolation, masks, and lockdowns Lydia is the author of Finding God in My Loneliness. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Jonathan Dodson talks about what a gospel-centered approach to discipleship entails. He highlights the importance of transparency for everyone involved, why the long-view of sanctification is so important to hold on to, and how to move forward when we feel hurt or betrayed by a mentor. Jonathan is the author of Gospel-Centered Discipleship. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In this preview episode of Aimee Joseph's new book, 'Demystifying Decision-Making: A Practical Guide', Aimee highlights the “drama of decision-making” and explains how our worldview shapes our approach to making choices—often more than we realize. This special episode includes the introduction and first chapter.

In today's episode, Matt Rhodes considers what it should look like to pursue cross-cultural missions with a focus on long-term success and why the American church should be asking itself that very question today. Matt is the author of No Shortcut to Success: A Manifesto for Modern Missions. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Stephen Nichols discusses the remarkable life, tragic death and enduring legacy of the German theologian and pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Stephen is the author of Bonhoeffer on the Christian Life: From the Cross, for the World. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Tony Reinke considers what the Bible has to say about human innovation and the things we create, why Christians are often so attracted to tech dystopianism, the future of AI, Facebook’s new metaverse, and more. Tony is the author of God, Technology, and the Christian Life. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Aimee Joseph discusses why we struggle to make decisions, where God's will fits in to the topic, and how we can work on our efforts to make God-honoring choices in everyday life. Aimee is the author of Demystifying Decision-Making: A Practical Guide. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Sam Storms talks about how God deals with our sin, once and for all. Sam is the author of A Dozen Things God Did with Your Sin (And Three Things He'll Never Do). Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Eric Ortlund looks at the example of Job and how, as Christians, we should respond when we face a Job-like ordeal—suffering that is so painful, so inexplicable, so seemingly pointless that we’re tempted to curse God. Eric is the author of Suffering Wisely and Well: The Grief of Job and the Grace of God. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

Reading the Bible is essential to the Christian faith, but many of us struggle to study it faithfully. In How Can I Get More Out of My Bible Reading?, Jeremy Kimble explains how the church acts as God’s school, helping us read and follow Scripture through teaching, fellowship, and discipleship. He also offers advice to improve our own Scripture reading, helping us understand the big picture, ask good questions, and apply what we learn. We hope you enjoy this full audiobook to help start the New Year off in the best way, right here on The Crossway Podcast.

In today's episode, Patrick Schreiner discusses the story of Pentecost—a fascinating—but also somewhat confusing—account of the sending of the Holy Spirit to indwell God’s people in a new and powerful way. Patrick is the author of The Mission of the Triune God: A Theology of Acts. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, William Smith offers parents simple advice for viewing the holiday season as a special opportunity to point our kids’ hearts to their Savior. William is the author of Parenting with Words of Grace: Building Relationships with Your Children One Conversation at a Time. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In honor of the anniversary of R. C. Sproul's passing on this day in 2017, Crossway is pleased to share a special one-hour excerpt from 'R. C. Sproul: A Life' by Stephen J. Nichols, focusing on the final days of Sproul's life and the lasting legacy of his ministry. Click here for an article from Crossway featuring responses of thankfulness for R. C.'s life.

In today's episode, Mitch Stokes talks about the many problems with an atheistic worldview—including logical holes that skeptics often prefer to ignore. Mitch is the author of How to Be an Atheist: Why Many Skeptics Aren't Skeptical Enough Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

Today's episode is a special audio preview of Jonathan Gibson's new book, Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship. Gibson has created a 31-day guide designed to provide structure for our daily worship, both as individuals and families. Each daily reading includes a call to worship, adoration, confession, assurance, excerpts from creeds and catechisms, a Bible reading, and more. Requiring just 15 to 20 minutes a day, this beautifully produced liturgical guide will help you focus your heart and mind on Christ and the Gospel as you commune with God each day. We’re pleased to share the first reading from Jonathan’s new 31-day guide.

In today's episode, Jonathan Gibsons talks about why liturgy—something he argues that we all already have, even if we don’t know it—can be such a powerful force for good in the life of the Christian when rightly understood and practiced. Jonathan is the author of Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

A few weeks ago, we asked readers to submit their questions about the book of Revelation and surrounding topics for New Testament scholar Tom Schreiner. Many of you sent questions from around the world, with questions such as how we should read and interpret the book in the 21st century, whether the COVID vaccine is the mark of the beast, and how much should we care about the specific images presented in the book. Tom Schreiner is the author of The Joy of Hearing: A Theology of the Book of Revelation. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Listen to a previous interview with Tom Schreiner on the subject of the mark of the beast.

In today's episode, Mickey Klink talks about what you should look for in a new church, what factors (the preaching, the music, and the theology of the church) should impact your decision, and what warning signs to be on the lookout for in your search. Mickey is the author of The Local Church: What It Is and Why It Matters for Every Christian. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Paul Tripp discusses the doctrine of the sovereignty of God, what the Bible actually teaches about the extent of God’s sovereignty, the purpose of evil and suffering, and the idea of free will. Paul is the author of Do You Believe?: 12 Historic Doctrines to Change Your Everyday Life. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Abigail Dodds talks about what something as simple as the mixture of flour, water, and yeast can teach us about God, the Bible, and what it really means to be satisfied by our Savior. Abigail is the author of Bread of Life: Savoring the All-Satisfying Goodness of Jesus through the Art of Bread Making. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

In today's episode, Brian Croft discusses one area of church ministry that still remains largely in the shadows and too often neglected: the care of widows. Brian is the co-author of Caring for Widows: Ministering God's Grace. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

This month, we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the English Standard Version—first published by Crossway in 2001. To help mark this milestone, this month we're releasing a number of fascinating interviews focused on the ESV and Bible translation. Today's episode is a conversation with ESV Translation Oversight Committee member Dr. Peter Williams on translating the New Testament, the differences between modern English and biblical Greek, the trickiest books in the NT to translate, and Jesus’s masterful (and, at times, clever) use of language in the Gospels. To learn more about the English Standard Version, we invite you to visit ESV.org/translation. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

This month, we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the English Standard Version—first published by Crossway in 2001. To help mark this milestone, this month we're releasing a number of fascinating interviews focused on the ESV and Bible translation. Today's episode is a conversation with ESV Translation Oversight Committee member Dr. Jack Collins on translating the Old Testament, why all Bible translation entails trade-offs, what it means to read (and translate) the Bible literally, and a whole lot more. To learn more about the English Standard Version, we invite you to visit ESV.org/translation. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In today's episode, Heather Nelson—a writer, a counselor, and a mom—talks about what it looks like to pursue shame-free parenting so that we might have joy-filled homes. Heather is the author of Unashamed: Healing Our Brokenness and Finding Freedom from Shame. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show! Sign up for our mailing list here.

This month, we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the English Standard Version—first published by Crossway in 2001. To help mark this milestone, this month we're releasing a number of fascinating interviews focused on the ESV and Bible translation. Today's episode is a conversation with Justin Taylor—Crossway’s Book Publisher and project manager for the ESV Study Bible when it was being created—on how he first got connected to Crossway, what his day to day work on the project looked like in the early 2000s, and how the ESV Study Bible set a new standard for study Bibles when it was first released in 2008. To learn more about the English Standard Version, we invite you to visit ESV.org/translation. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In today's episode, J. D. Crowley and Andy Naselli discuss the conscience, whether we should always obey our conscience, what to do when our conscience disagrees with another Christian’s, and how the conscience relates to objective right and wrong. J.D. and Andy are the co-authors of Conscience: What It Is, How to Train It, and Loving Those Who Differ. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

This month, we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of the English Standard Version—first published by Crossway in 2001. To help mark this milestone, this month we’re releasing a number of fascinating interviews focused on the ESV and Bible translation. Today's episode is a conversation with ESV Translation Oversight Committee member Dr. Paul House, where Paul answers questions listeners submitted about the ESV—questions related to how translators work, the translation philosophy of the ESV, tricky passages, and more. To learn more about the English Standard Version, we invite you to visit ESV.org/translation. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In our interview today, Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser, two counselors with years of experience, discuss how to have hard conversations with others that put the focus on what God has said, not their own opinions. Cheryl and Caroline are the authors of When Words Matter Most: Speaking Truth with Grace to Those You Love. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In 'The Expulsive Power of a New Affection' Thomas Chalmers inspires his readers to remove the tangles of sin through the expulsive power of a new affection—desiring God. As a result of the fall, human feelings of love are often misplaced on the creation rather than the Creator. This work of the faith reorients our affections toward him. We hope you enjoy this full audiobook of a timeless classic, right here on The Crossway Podcast.

A couple months ago, we asked listeners to submit their questions for pastor Ray Ortlund related to the difficult topic of porn and pastoral ministry. Many of you sent in questions for Ray from around the world—questions about how pastors can cultivate churches where honesty and repentance thrive; how to counsel men (and their wives) when their use of porn comes to light; and advice for the pastor who is currently struggling with porn himself. Ray is the author of The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Dane Ortlund discusses why we, as children of God, can remain hopeful—even when our journey toward Christlikeness is painfully slow, and encourages us to wake up every morning confident in God’s love and grace. Dane Ortlund is the author of Deeper: Real Change for Real Sinners. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this special preview episode of Ray Ortlund's new book, The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility, Ortlund assures readers that God loves them the most tenderly in their moments of deepest shame through Scripture and personal stories structured around a series of letters as from a father to his son, with the goal of giving hope to men who have been misled by porn into devaluing themselves and others. This special episode includes the introduction and first chapter.

In this episode, Ray Ortlund talks about how the truth that we are royalty—created in God’s image for a great and noble purpose—has the power to free us from the dehumanizing lies of the porn industry. Ray Ortlund is the author of The Death of Porn: Men of Integrity Building a World of Nobility. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Tom Schreiner discusses whether or not Jesus taught a form of pacifism, and how we should square Jesus’s command to love our enemies with the way that God’s people were commanded to conquer (and even devote to destruction) their enemies in the Old Testament. Tom Schreiner is a contributor to the ESV Expository Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

Crossway is pleased to announce the launch of our newest podcast: In the Lord I Take Refuge with Dane Ortlund. Join Dane—a pastor and best-selling author—Monday through Friday each week on a journey through all 150 psalms in the Bible. Subscribe today: Apple Podcasts Spotify RSS You can see a full listing of all of our podcasts at crossway.org/podcasts.

In this episode, Bobby Jamieson talks about his own path to church leadership, what role seminary played, and as well as what advice he'd give to those aspiring to be pastors. Bobby Jamieson is the author of The Path to Being a Pastor: A Guide for the Aspiring. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Glenna Marshall talks about the life-changing practice of Scripture memory, the oft-given advice to give ourselves grace, and the importance of being transparent with other Christians when perseverance in the Christian life isn't easy. Glenna Marshall is the author of Everyday Faithfulness: The Beauty of Ordinary Perseverance in a Demanding World. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Jonathan Leeman discusses the vital importance of in-person church fellowship, how we can and should prioritize involvement with the people of God in a local church—especially after a year like 2020—and shares some encouragement for pastors on the heels of a taxing season. Jonathan Leeman is the co-author of Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Craig Troxel talks about the difference between a Christian and secular understanding of the heart, the heart's spiritual functions and how we can think about them in terms of our minds, desires, and will. Craig Troxel is the author of With All Your Heart: Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will toward Christ Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this special preview episode of Sam Allberry's new book, 'What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for Our Physical Selves', Sam explains that all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made, and should regard our physicality as a gift. He offers biblical guidance for living, including understanding gender, sexuality, and identity; dealing with aging, illness, and death; and considering the physical future hope that we have in Christ. This hour-long episode includes the introduction and first two chapters.

In this episode, Sam Allberry talks about the eternal significance of our physical bodies, how it relates to our identity, and why our bodies matter here and now, especially in relation to the brokenness that we all feel because of sin. Sam Allberry is the author of What God Has to Say about Our Bodies: How the Gospel Is Good News for Our Physical Selves. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Dane Ortlund discusses how the psalms uniquely invite us into prayer and devotion, how they reflect the greatness of God, and how He cares for His people. Dane Ortlund is the author of In the Lord I Take Refuge: 150 Daily Devotions through the Psalms. Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Tim Cooper discusses the importance of Richard Baxter, a Puritan responsible for many key (if not misunderstood or difficult to read) treatise on church doctrine and the role of ministry. Cooper dives into Baxter's controversial views on faith, justification, and sanctification, his faithfulness in ministry, and what modern pastors can learn from his example. Tim Cooper is the author of a new adaptation of Richard Baxter's The Reformed Pastor: Updated and Abridged Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Sinclair Ferguson discusses the relevance of church history and divisive theological positions as we dig into a largely forgotten 18th-century Scottish debate about God’s grace and our works, explaining the roots of legalism and antinomianism, and why all of this matters for modern-day believers. Sinclair Ferguson is the author of The Whole Christ: Legalism, Antinomianism, and Gospel Assurance—Why the Marrow Controversy Still Matters Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In this episode, Dave Harvey, president of The Great Commission Collective church planting ministry, talks about his own path to ministry, what he did (and didn't) learn in seminary, and how to discern whether or not you're really called to the pastorate. Dave Harvey is the author of Am I Called? Read the full transcript. If you enjoyed this episode be sure to leave us a review, which helps us spread the word about the show!

In today's episode, Isaac Adams discusses the nature of evangelism and why we so often feel intimidated, unequipped or unsure of how to even speak about the Gospel to others in our lives. Isaac provides encouragement and insight on how to organically balance relationship with outreach, and how we might be misunderstanding what we're actually called to do in evangelism.

In today's episode, Marcus Johnson—assistant professor of theology at Moody Bible Institute, and the author of One with Christ: An Evangelical Theology of Salvation - discusses the doctrine of our union with Christ, drawing special attention to this beautiful doctrine well-attested in church history but often misunderstood today.

In this special episode, we’re pleased to share the complete audio recording of this brand-new children’s book, right here on The Crossway Podcast. Narrated by Mike Kellogg, this book will help your family see God’s promise to his people—a promise that will never fail.

In today's interview, Mark Jones talks about how to bring the seemingly contradictory realities about God together in our own minds, namely how should we understand God in his fullness—both near to us as our Father and yet above and beyond us as our Creator. Mark does this by discussing 5 specific attributes of God that we too often neglect in our thinking and theology.

In this episode, Harry Lee Poe discusses the formative years of C.S. Lewis as a prolific writer amidst a private life, including fascinating details about the start of his career, his own personal faith and the relationships that would shape his world and the books that would make his name world-renowned.