The Puritan Pulpit

What happens when the "priesthood of all believers" meets the "Law of Nature"? On this episode of The Puritan Pulpit, host Nick Reddin explores the meticulously constructed world of conservative Puritan ecclesiology. We’re moving beyond modern soundbites to examine how figures like Thomas Goodwin and Jonathan Edwards reconciled the absolute spiritual equality of the soul with a strictly gendered pastoral office. From the "extraordinary" exceptions of the biblical record to the radical social upheavals of the 17th century, we uncover why the Puritans viewed the pulpit not as a seat of power, but as a boundary of creation itself. Discover the theology behind the order in an episode that asks: is the church a reflection of a divinely ordered cosmos, or merely a product of its time?

Has the modern pulpit traded its spiritual fortress for a performance stage? In this episode, Nick Reddin explores the meticulous and fiery world of the Puritan divines. We’re drawing a line between the “Tinseled Trappings” of today’s casual church and the "Plain Style" of the 17th century, a method designed not just to inform the mind, but to put God’s truth into the very soul. It’s time to move past the summarical and the shallow. Join us as we conduct a theological audit of the modern pulpit through the lens of the men who viewed preaching as a matter of life and death.

If the power went out, would your worship still exist? ⚡️We live in an age of "worship experiences," but what happens when you strip away the production? In this episode of The Puritan Pulpit, Nick Reddin takes us back 400 years to a movement that viewed church music through a lens most modern Christians have never even considered. It’s a perspective that challenges every light, every chord, and every lyric we take for granted. Is your Sunday morning a "Gospel Ordinance" or a human invention?

Think Puritan evangelism was just fire and brimstone from a pulpit? Think again. In this episode of The Puritan Pulpit, Nick Reddin digs into the "Art of Manfishing" a systematic, house-to-house, street-level movement that transformed entire cities. From Richard Baxter’s 4-step visitation model to the "Heart-Anatomy" of the Plain Style sermon, discover how the Puritans used the Law as a needle to pull the blue thread of the Gospel through the soul.

To the Puritans, the spirit world was no myth; it was a high-stakes battlefield where the air itself was thick with the presence of unseen powers. In this episode of The Puritan Pulpit, Nick Reddin explores the "Invisible Combat," a world where the Devil operates as a "chained dog" restricted by divine sovereignty. We dive into the crucial distinction between demonic possession and the "obsession" of the believer, exploring how the enemy lays siege to the mind through trials and black moods. Discover why the Puritans rejected the "theatre" of formal exorcism in favor of the "volleys of prayer" and the "silver trumpets of the Gospel" to reclaim the human soul from the master strategist of darkness.

Forget the "witch-hunter" caricatures. For the Puritans, the real danger wasn't just spirits, it was superstition, a "will-worship" that traded biblical truth for human fear. This episode of The Puritan Pulpit explores how these rigorous thinkers used the Doctrine of Providence to stabilize a supernatural world. Join Nick Reddin as he dives into William Perkins’ war on "white magic" and the moment Increase Mather’s biblical logic finally silenced the gallows at Salem. Stop looking at the myths and start looking at the Word.

To the modern mind, Puritan church discipline sounds harsh. To the Puritan mind, a church without discipline wasn't a church at all, it was a garden without a hedge, soon to be reclaimed by the wilderness. On the latest episode of The Puritan Pulpit, Nick Reddin explores why they believed that without the "hedge" of discipline, the sacraments would be profaned and the name of God blasphemed. Listen now to understand the "Power of the Keys."

When life falls apart, is it bad luck or a divine plan? 16th-century pastor Arthur Dent believed that attributing anything to "fortune" was practical atheism. In this episode, we step back to 1608 to hear Dent’s A Platform Made for the Proof of God's Providence.This isn't dry academic theology. It is a warm, pastoral defense of the idea that God is as involved in the death of a bird as He is in the birth of a star. Join host Nick Reddin for a re-preaching of this essential text on the absolute sovereignty of God.

Join host Nick Reddin for a special episode featuring Leonard Ravenhill’s A Cry for Revival. Discover why this 20th-century preacher, despite theological differences, is often called a "Methodist Puritan." A powerful call to holiness, prayer, and the "agony" of true intercession.

Can you claim the Head (Christ) while rejecting the Body (the Church)? In our era of megachurch anonymity, "The Lone Wolf Christian" has become common, consuming sermons as religious commodities without ever submitting to pastoral oversight. But to the Puritan mind, an unattached Christian was a theological impossibility, a "wandering star" drifting toward darkness.Drawing on the rigorous ecclesiology of John Owen, Thomas Hooker, and Jonathan Edwards, this episode argues that the "unfixed soul" is in profound spiritual peril. I dismantle the modern myth of consumer Christianity and explore why the Puritans believed that to remain a "loose stone" is to remain dangerously exposed outside the temple of God.

Do you have a shepherd? Or do you just have a favorite speaker? In this episode of The Puritan Pulpit, host Nick Reddin breaks down the Puritan critique of the multi-site, mega-campus model. We discuss the peril of the "unwatched soul" and the urgent need to return to a biblical model where every sheep is known by name.

Join host Nick Reddin for a focused look at the Puritan doctrine of Spiritual Warfare. We examine the paradigmatic lens of war that defined their worldview, the specific strategies of Satan identified by Thomas Brooks, and the 'holy violence' advocated by Thomas Watson. A concise guide to ancient strategies for a modern battle.

Join host Nick Reddin on The Puritan Pulpit, where we examine the remarkable life of Welsh preacher Christmas Evans and his sermon "The Smitten Rock." Born on Christmas Day in 1766, this resilient, one-eyed figure emerged from a challenging upbringing, marked by poverty and perils such as stabbings and accidents that ultimately guided him toward a profound faith. He acquired literacy in his late adolescence through diligent study of the Bible, underwent a transformative conversion, and started his ministry as a Baptist missionary in 1790, igniting revivals throughout 19th-century Wales amidst the upheavals of industrialization.In this episode, I bring his renowned sermon, drawn from 1 Corinthians 10:4, which depicts Christ as the rock smitten by divine justice to release boundless mercy. This vivid allegory admonishes against ingratitude and transgression while emphasizing the exultation of redemption emanating from Calvary. This message is especially for anyone experiencing spiritual dryness.With that in mind I invite you to listen to this enduring classic.

Join host Nick Reddin on the Puritan Pulpit Podcast, where timeless Puritan sermons are re-preached with passion and fidelity. In this special episode, we step into the historical roots of the Reformation with Dr. Nick Needham’s compelling article, "Seeds of the Reformation," from the Sword and Trowel magazine. Explore how the Renaissance, the printing press, and voices like Erasmus and Savonarola sowed the seeds for the Puritan theology we cherish, emphasizing Scripture, grace, and heart-centered faith. Perfect for listeners who love Puritan preaching and its Reformation heritage.

Join host Nick Reddin on The Puritan Pulpit as we dive into Samuel Rutherford’s powerful sermon, The Worth and Excellence of the Gospel. Preached in 17th-century Scotland amidst religious turmoil, this message from 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 proclaims the gospel’s unmatched strength. Discover how Rutherford, a pastor shaped by personal loss and unwavering faith, rallied his Anwoth congregation to stand firm against royal pressures. This episode unveils a timeless call to cherish the gospel’s transformative power—don’t miss it!

Join host Nick Reddin on The Puritan Pulpit as we journey to July 1, 1750, in Northampton, Massachusetts, to revisit Jonathan Edwards’ heartfelt Farewell Sermon. Cast out by the congregation he guided through the Great Awakening, Edwards preached with solemn grace and eternal truth, reflecting on the revival that transformed a Puritan town and the controversy that fractured it. From Northampton’s meetinghouse to the wilderness of Stockbridge, this episode reveals the enduring legacy of a theologian who faced rejection with steadfast conviction and why his words continue to challenge our faith and soul today.

Join host Nick Reddin on The Puritan Pulpit as we revisit Octavius Winslow’s powerful 1863 sermon, The Man of God. Though not a Puritan by era, Winslow’s Christ-centered, deeply devotional preaching carries the Puritan legacy forward. Delivered amid revival in 19th-century England, this sermon calls believers to authentic faith—marked by love for Christ, holiness, and dependence on grace—in a world prone to shallow religion. Discover timeless truths that challenge and inspire us to walk sincerely with Christ today.