The Crossway Podcast

Jani Ortlund discusses the joys and challenges of being a pastor's wife. She reflects on what it's been like to be married to a pastor and immersed in full-time ministry for nearly five decades, shares advice related to how a ministry wife should respond to criticism of her husband, and offers encouragement for the woman struggling with unrealistic expectations and a lack of close friendships within the church.

Michael Reeves discusses what the Bible is actually getting at when it commands us to "fear the Lord." He makes the case for the difference between rightly fearing God and sinfully being afraid of him, explains why the fear of the Lord is so often paired with examples of God's gracious blessing and commands to love him in Scripture, and offers encouragement for the Christian wrestling with consistent guilt, shame, and even fear on account of their sin.

Rosaria Butterfield discusses what it looks like to embrace the Christian call to radical hospitality even during a pandemic. She shares about how her family has sought to continue reaching out to those around them with the love of Christ, reflects on our tendency to spend more time reading the news than reading our Bibles, and calls on Christians to fight against the fear that threatens to destroy our witness.

Barbara Hughes discusses why discipline is important for Christian women. She highlights her own struggle to cultivate a disciplined life over the years, reflects on an important lesson she learned from key mentors like Elisabeth Elliot, and offers encouragement for the listener who feels like she's struggling in her spiritual walk right now.

Kent Hughes discusses why discipline is so important for the life of a Christian man. He explains how discipline is actually aimed at freeing us to be the men that God called us to be, how to fight the addiction to entertainment so common among men in our culture today, and why working hard when it comes to our spiritual growth is not the same thing as working for our salvation.

Bob Kauflin discusses his work as a songwriter and worship leader. He reflects on how God led him into a career in music, what his process looks like when it comes to writing songs for the church, and what it's like to lead a crowd of thousands in worship at a conference like Together for the Gospel.

Jeff Vanderstelt discusses what it means to be fluent in the gospel and why that's an essential part of what it means to live as a disciple of Jesus. He reflects on his own journey as a pastor and efforts to cultivate a culture of gospel fluency in the churches where he has ministered, highlights why the concept of the missional community is so central to how he views what the church is called to be, and unpacks why living in light of the gospel should impact literally every facet of our lives as God's people.

Stephen Meyer discusses the controversial topic of theistic evolution. He explains what the term does and doesn't mean, describes the amazing digital code at the heart of all life on earth, and highlights significant scientific and philosophical problems with many forms of theistic evolution advocated today.

Joel Beeke discusses the doctrine of Christ's ongoing intercession in heaven. He explains what that doctrine is all about, where we find it in the Bible, and why it is more important and spiritually edifying than you may realize. Joel Beeke is the author, with Paul Smalley, of Reformed Systematic Theology: Volume 2: Man and 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!

Erik Raymond discusses what it looks like to cultivate a spirit of contentment in a world that often seems dead set on helping us do just the opposite. He explains what is unique about a distinctly Christian approach to contentment, highlights the connection between contentment and gratitude, and offers practical advice for navigating the consumerism of the holiday season that's just around the corner.

Listen to a special two-hour preview of 'The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self,' including the book's introduction and first chapter. Historian Carl Trueman analyzes the development of the sexual revolution as a symptom, rather than the cause, of the human search for identity.

Carl Trueman discusses our culture's current obsession with identity and changing attitudes about gender and sexuality. He offers a crash course on key historical figures and ideas that have shaped us in profound yet often unnoticed ways, highlights what conservative Christians often misunderstand about the LGBTQ cause, and offers advice when it comes to navigating an increasing hostile culture in the coming years.

Crossway is pleased to announce the launch of our newest podcast: Emblems of the Infinite King, an imaginative journey through the grand story of the Bible. Listen now: Apple Podcasts Spotify RSS You can see a full listing of all of our podcasts at crossway.org/podcasts.

Andy Naselli discusses snakes in the Bible. He talks about why Satan appeared to Adam and Eve as a talking serpent in Genesis 3, where else snakes and dragons appear in Scripture and why it matters for our understanding of the history of redemption, and how the biblical idea of serpents and serpent slayers sheds light on everything from 'Beowulf' to 'Lord of the Rings' to 'Harry Potter.'

Guy Waters discusses how to understand the biblical covenants and how they help us to read Scripture rightly. He addresses what people often get wrong when it comes to covenant theology, highlights the progressive nature of God's promises in the Bible, and explains where he thinks dispensationalism and new covenant theology miss the mark.

Jonathan Leeman discusses how Christians should think about political disagreements within the church. He makes the important distinction between clear, biblical principles on the one hand and prudential applications of those principles on the other, shares his take on how much pastors and church leaders should say regarding their own political perspectives online and in-person, and offers advice for those worried about political controversy causing division within their church.

Ryan Lister discusses what it means when the Bible says that God is with us. He unpacks the idea of the presence of God throughout Scripture, addresses common misconceptions about what that phrase really means, and highlights how Jesus, God in the flesh, stands as the ultimate example of God drawing near to his people.

Cameron Cole discusses the unexpected death of his three-year-old son, Cam. He shares about the initial shock when he first heard the terrible news, recalls the thoughts and questions that filled his mind in the days, weeks, and months following, and reflects on how that tragedy and all the suffering it entailed has ultimately strengthened his hope in God rather than destroyed it.

Frank Thielman discusses what the New Testament, and particularly the apostle Paul, teaches about how Christians today should think about the Mosaic law. He reflects on why this seems like such a challenging, hermeneutical issue, why the topic of circumcision was so central in Paul's epistles, and how this so-called "new perspective" on Paul fits in this conversation.

Brad Sickler discusses how Christians should think about recent developments in our understanding of the brain and cognitive science. He explains why all science entails philosophical assumptions stemming from a person's worldview, highlights how science and the Bible both speak to the physical and spiritual dimensions of what it means to be human, and answers the question we've all wondered: Is it true we only use 10% of our brains?

Drew Hunter discusses advice for Christians eager to reinvigorate, or maybe jumpstart for the first time, a consistent Bible reading habit. He reflects on how to avoid viewing time in God's Word as merely a task on a checklist, shares his thoughts on the pros and cons of reading plans, and highlights the importance of seeing God's Word as one unified story culminating in the person and work of Jesus Christ and why that perspective fundamentally changes how we read Scripture.

Paul Tripp discusses what he calls "the leadership crisis" in the church today. He explains what he's been seeing and hearing from pastors that indicates there indeed is a crisis, why healthy leadership in the church is about the leadership community, not just the head pastor, and what it looks like to make progress in and through the gospel.

Lauren Chandler discusses her habit on reading and studying the Bible. She reflects on the biggest influences on how she engages with Scripture even today, explains the way the Bible impacts her work as a songwriter, and shares how God used his Word to strengthen her faith when she first learned her husband had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.

In this special episode, we're sharing a full audio recording of How Can I Love Church Members with Different Politics?—written by Jonathan Leeman and Andy Naselli. Election seasons can cause division on a variety of issues. But what happens when you disagree with someone in your local church community? Authors Jonathan Leeman and Andy Naselli propose that Christians should learn how to disagree on such issues with a spirit of gracious understanding by recognizing the importance of what binds us together as a local church body—the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Joe Rigney discusses why it's okay to celebrate God's good gifts. He explains the impact that John Piper and Christian hedonism have had on his life and theology, the proper place of self-denial in the Christian life, and how to navigate the tension of loving God and enjoying his good gifts.

Mark Talbot discusses what the Bible has to say about suffering and the question that we all so quickly come to: "Why?" He shares some of what God has taught him through his own experience of profound pain, reflects on what we can learn from the story of Job in the Bible, and offers wise advice to the person currently wrestling to understand why God so often allows us to suffer in ways that push us to our limits and beyond.

Adam Griffin discusses what it looks like for parents to prioritize the important but mostly ordinary spiritual leadership of their family. He debunks common misconceptions about what family discipleship has to look like, highlights the importance of cultivating a culture of joy and fun in the home, and offers parents a simple framework for intentionally training their kids to view their lives through the lens of the gospel.

Lydia Brownback discusses some of her tips for leading an effective, engaging Bible study. She reflects on what she has learned over the years from Bible studies she's been a part of, offers advice for keeping the conversation on track and getting through the occasional awkward silence, and discusses why a Bible study leader's own passion for the text is so important for the group as a whole.

Crossway is pleased to announce the launch of our newest podcast: 30 Days in the Psalms with Kristyn Getty. Listen now: Apple Podcasts Spotify RSS You can see a full listing of all of our podcasts at crossway.org/podcasts.

Kristyn Getty discusses congregational singing, the power of music for teaching doctrine, and the foundational role of Scripture for the Christian life. She reflects on her career in the Christian music industry, explains why hymns still matter and are worth learning today, and shares how her family has been seeking to use music to serve others during this season of lockdown.

Jeff Robinson discusses the unique blessings and burdens of pastoral ministry. He reflects on the challenging seasons in ministry from his own life, seasons when he contemplated leaving the pastorate altogether, highlights the importance of transparency and accountability in the life of a pastor, and he offers encouragement for the pastor who feels overwhelmed and exhausted right now.

Matthew McCullough discusses how thinking and being really honest about the reality of death can paradoxically free us to find hope and joy in God like never before. He reflects on our culture's strategies to avoid death at all costs, highlights how COVID-19 has brought our mortality to the forefront of our collective consciousness in a unique way right now, and discusses why the practice of intentionally remembering death finds support in both Scripture and church history.

In this special episode, we want to remember J. I. Packer, who went home to be with the Lord yesterday. Born in 1926, J. I. Packer is widely recognized as one of the most influential theologians of the 20th century. Sam Storms discusses Packer’s remarkable life and ministry, reflecting on how Packer came to faith, the impact that his many books have had on generations of Christians, and how he thought about his own death. Sam Storms is the author of Packer on the Christian Life: Knowing God in Christ, Walking by the Spirit. Read the full transcript.

Michael Haykin discusses what we can learn from the early church fathers today. He reflects on what we should make of the early church's allegorical reading of the Bible, the value of early Christian creeds for helping to define our faith today, and where to start if someone is interested in reading the church fathers for him or herself.

Gunner Gundersen discusses what to do when you just don't feel like going to church. He explains why that might be the most important time to lean into corporate worship with other Christians, reflects on the hard work of bringing our emotions and affections in line with what we know to be right and good for us, and he offers advice for the person who feels hurt or betrayed by the church.

Denny Burk discusses how Christians should think about transgenderism. He walks through the Bible's countercultural teaching on gender and sexuality, offers timely advice for parents who want to be proactive about helping their kids navigate these issues, and answers two critical questions many of us have when it comes to the transgender movement: how did we get here, and what's next?

Melissa Kruger discusses the importance of mentoring relationships for all Christians. She reflects on her own experiences learning life-changing lessons from older women, highlights some of the core aspects that should be in place in every mentoring relationship, and shares advice for overcoming the imposter syndrome that so many of us feel when it comes to helping others follow Christ.

Betsy Childs Howard discusses stories and the importance of moral formation for children. She talks about why stories are such a powerful tool for instilling deep, biblical truths in our kids, how the world catechizes our children everyday even in ways that might surprise us, and why intentional moral formation and an emphasis on the gospel of God's grace are not mutually exclusive.

Mark Vroegop discusses the challenge of racial reconciliation and how the biblical practice of lament offers Christians from different backgrounds a common language for productive, God-honoring conversation. He shares from his own experiences walking alongside and learning from minority culture Christians, recounted the time that God opened his eyes to his own blindness while sitting in the office of an African-American pastor, and offered a response to those who wonder if the evangelical church in America will ever make real progress on these issues.

Megan Hill discusses the importance of the local church for our lives as God's people. She reflects on the challenging season we've all been in due to COVID-19, explains why the local church is so essential for our spiritual growth as Christians, and offers three practical suggestions for cultivating deeper relationships with other church members.

Rhyne Putnam discusses how Christians should think about theological diversity and disagreement within the body of Christ. He highlights the importance of reading and assuming the best about those with whom we disagree, explains when it's appropriate to call something a gospel issue and when it's not, and suggests three questions to ask ourselves when evaluating whether or not a specific doctrinal position is worth fighting for.

Today, we're excited to announce the launch of a new podcast from Crossway created for the whole family: The Big Picture Story Bible podcast! In this full audio recording of the best-selling The Big Picture Story Bible, join author and narrator David Helm on a 26-episode journey through the whole storyline of God's Word from Genesis to Revelation. Listen now: Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts RSS

David Chapman discusses what it's like to be an archaeologist. He shares from his experiences overseeing an excavation site in the Middle East, explains how archaeology can bolster our faith and enhance our understanding of the Bible, and reflects on the most exciting archaeological discovery of his career.

Ligon Duncan discusses how Christians can face profound life-changing suffering with their faith intact. He shares stories of severe suffering from his own ministry as a pastor, reflects on God's role in our suffering and how he often uses it to draw us closer to himself, and offers encouragement from God's word to listeners currently in the midst of a season of intense pain.

Jonathan Leeman discusses his argument that multiservice and multisite models run counter to the pattern for the local church we see in the New Testament. He explores the irony of discussing church gatherings in the midst of a quarantine, lays out his biblical and practical reasons for believing this, explains how we define the Greek word for church ekklēsia is so important in this conversation, and reflects on pushback received from other pastors, such as the objection that it could harm our church's evangelism.

Dane Ortlund discusses his answer to a question we've all wrestled with at some point: does God actually like me? He highlights what Scripture says about God's disposition towards us as redeemed sinners. He explains what Jesus meant when he said that he is "gentle and lowly in heart." He explores what it means that Christ is continually interceding for us before the Father in Heaven, and why that truth should be the source of so much comfort and hope for us as Christians.

Nancy Guthrie discusses some of the less well-loved characters of Scripture like tax collectors, scribes, Pharisees, and even Judas Iscariot, Jesus's betrayer. She also highlights what we can learn from Jesus's scandalous family tree, and why it's good news for sinners like us.

In this special episode, we're sharing a full audio recording of Coronavirus and Christ—a brand-new book written and read by John Piper.On January 11, 2020, a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) reportedly claimed its first victim in the Hubei province of China. By March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization had declared a global pandemic. In the midst of this fear and uncertainty, it is natural to wonder what God is doing. In this audiobook read by the author, John Piper invites readers around the world to stand on the solid Rock, who is Jesus Christ, in whom our souls can be sustained by the sovereign God who ordains, governs, and reigns over all things to accomplish his wise and good purposes for those who trust in him. What is God doing through the coronavirus? Piper offers six biblical answers to that question, showing us that God is at work in this moment in history. Learn more about Coronavirus and Christ and download the full ebook for free at crossway.org/coronavirus.

In this episode, Gavin Ortlund discusses what to do when you disagree with another Christian on some point of doctrine. He shares his thoughts on the pros and cons of having theological debates on social media, highlights the importance of theological humility when engaging with people who think differently, and explains why the metaphor of triage can be helpful when thinking about the relative importance of different doctrines. Gavin Ortlund is the author of Finding the Right Hills to Die On: The Case for Theological Triage. 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!

The Gentle and Lowly podcast is a 14-day audio devotional exploring the heart of Christ for sinners and sufferers. Join Dane Ortlund each day for a brief Scripture reading as well as a devotional meditation on a different aspect of the heart of Christ, as he helps you discover afresh not just what Jesus has done for you but how he feels about you as his beloved. Subscribe: Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts RSS Learn more at crossway.org/GentleandLowlyPodcast.