Coffee House Sessions

In the Coffee House, John-Mark is joined by Dr Samuel Tunnicliffe to discuss English Presbyterianism, doctrinal decline, and the influence of Richard Baxter.

Beginning with the State of Theology UK 2026 survey, Tunnicliffe considers what contemporary confusion about worship, religious pluralism, and the truthfulness of Scripture reveals about the need for careful pastoral teaching. He then explores the world of seventeenth-century London coffee houses, where Presbyterians, Congregationalists, and Baptists gathered for theological discussion, debate, and political activity amid persecution and religious upheaval.

Tunnicliffe traces the challenges facing English Presbyterian identity after 1662, examines resistance to imposing creedal tests, and considers the Salters’ Hall controversy of 1719 and its place in the story of doctrinal decline. The conversation concludes with Richard Baxter’s influence, the controversy over neonomianism, the importance of union with Christ, and recommended reading from John Owen and Sinclair Ferguson.

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What does the Bible teach about the end times, the rapture, Israel and the return of Jesus Christ? Dr. Sam Waldron joins us in the Coffee House to explore optimistic amillennialism, Bible prophecy and the gospel age.

Will Christians be raptured before the tribulation? Are Israel and the church two separate peoples of God? Does Ezekiel predict a rebuilt third temple? How should we understand the millennium, the Antichrist and Satan’s “little season” in Revelation 20?

Drawing on decades of teaching and his book, The Doctrine of Last Things: An Optimistic Amillennial View, Dr. Waldron explains how Jesus’ teaching about this age and the age to come provides a framework for understanding biblical eschatology. He examines dispensationalism and other millennial views while showing why Christians can have confidence in Christ building his church throughout the world.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Amillennialism, postmillennialism, historic premillennialism and dispensational premillennialism.
• The second coming of Christ, the resurrection of the dead and the final judgment.
• Luke 20, the two ages and the “already” and “not yet” of God’s kingdom.
• Interpreting Old Testament prophecy, Ezekiel 40–48 and the third temple question.
• Israel, the church and the New Testament’s interpretation of God’s promises.
• The rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4 and the case against a secret pre-tribulation rapture.
• Revelation 20, Gog and Magog, final tribulation and the Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2.
• The 1689 Baptist Confession and the practical importance of eschatology for preaching and church life.

Whether you are beginning to study the last things or reconsidering your understanding of Bible prophecy, join us for a conversation about Scripture, the advance of the gospel and the certainty of Christ’s return.

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The Doctrine of Last Things: An Optimistic Amillennial View by Dr. Sam Waldron. The episode announces a limited launch offer of £20 for the UK and Europe, or $20 for the USA. Check current pricing and availability:
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COVENANT BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY
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JOIN US IN LONDON, 26–28 AUGUST 2027
Hear Dr. Sam Waldron at One Faith Confessed in Many Nations, celebrating 350 years of the Second London Confession of Faith.
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In the Coffee House, John-Mark is joined by Steve Meister, Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Sacramento, to discuss the value and necessity of creeds and confessions for Protestants.

Meister argues that Christianity is uniquely rooted in truth and “sound words,” so careful language—including non-biblical terms like Trinity and consubstantial—is needed to preserve biblical meaning against error and equivocation. He explains how creeds arise from ordinary church needs (preaching the gospel, baptism, church membership, pastoral qualification, and evangelism) and why “negative theology” and denials are essential for rejecting false gospels and false teachers.

Meister uses Irenaeus’ mosaic illustration to show how creeds function as an interpretive key for Scripture, makes a biblical case for creedal summaries within the New Testament, addresses doctrinal clarification through historical controversy (including EFS), considers hymn language that can mislead without sound Christology, and concludes with guidance on receiving good tradition while testing all teaching by Scripture.

Read Steve's Article Here: [https://founders.org/articles/does-the-church-need-the-creeds-why-ancient-confessions-still-matter/]

Get "The Nicene Creed" by Kevin DeYoung on Discount: [https://brokenwharfe.com/product/the-nicene-creed/]

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00:00 Welcome to the Coffee House
00:37 Meet Steve in Sacramento
03:15 Why Words Matter
08:22 Jargon and Church Life
16:08 Negative Theology Needed
23:29 Irenaeus Mosaic Key
28:07 Creeds in the New Testament
33:12 Spirit and Church Consensus
41:11 Modern Errors and EFS
47:58 Hymns and Christology
55:46 Sorting Tradition Wisely
01:02:14 Resources and Final Charge
01:05:45 Wrap Up and Links

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In the Coffee House, John-Mark is joined by Brandon Adams and Benedict Allmand-Smith to discuss Covenant Theology, the Sinai/Mosaic covenant, Paul’s argument in Galatians 3, the Abrahamic Covenant and its relationship to the New Covenant, and the different views on Abraham and Moses, particularly expressed in the majority Reformed view and the arguments of Meredith Kline. Swim deep in the questions of Reformed Covenant Theology at the Coffee House.

Brandon begins by defining the historic “subservient covenant” view: Sinai is distinct from the covenant of grace and serves it by functioning as a typological covenant of works tied to temporal life and blessing in Canaan, conditioned on obedience. They contrast this with the majority historic Reformed view that post-fall covenants are one covenant of grace, and explain competing readings of Galatians 3:10–12 and 3:15–18 (including the “ad hominem” reading). Adams relates Kline’s works-principle approach, critiques attempts to separate the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, and argues Paul’s “promise” centers on Christ blessing the nations, distinguishing the historia salutis from the ordo salutis. Delve deep into Covenant Theology with this episode at the Coffee House.

Links and Resources Mentioned:

Covenant Theology: From Adam to Christ (Nehemiah Coxe & John Owen)

“Same but Different: The Meaning and (Mis)Use of a Reformed Formula” D. Patrick Ramsey. Mid-America Journal of Theology, volume 36 (2025).

Reformation21 Summary Version

T.D. Alexander on the Seed

[ttps://contrast2.wordpress.com/2024/09/20/the-dichotomous-abrahamic-covenant-of-circumcision-quotes/

JIRBS Review Article

JIRBS 2020 Paper Edition

https://contrast2.wordpress.com/2016/09/03/gal-318-generic-law-and-promise-or-sinai-and-messiah/ (elaborated more carefully/fully in JIRBS

Abraham not Moses?

Lee Irons on works aspect of the ceremonial law, starting at 12:15

Kline’s Abrahamic Covenant of Works 7: R. Scott Clark

Kline’s Abrahamic Covenant of Works 6: 1689 Federalism

Kline’s Abrahamic Covenant of Works 5: Glory Cloud Podcast

Kline’s Abrahamic Covenant of Works 4: Contradiction

Kline’s Abrahamic Covenant of Works 3: Royal Grant Proposal

Kline’s Abrahamic Covenant of Works 2: Typological Merit

Kline’s Abrahamic Covenant of Works 1: Murray and Shepherd

Some Disagreement with Coxe on Galatians 3:17

00:00 The Coffee House
00:50 Sinai as Subservient
03:31 Majority Reformed View
08:10 Galatians 3 Key Text
09:36 Ad Hominem Reading 
13:41 Baptist Reading Explained 
21:19 Kline and Works Principle 
26:17 What Promise Means 
28:16 Historia vs Ordo Salutis 
30:56 Offspring Argument in Galatians 
32:07 Seed Singular or Plural 
32:22 Genesis Clues for One Seed 
33:03 Genesis 22 Offspring Shift 
34:57 Paul Versus Judaizers 
36:48 Law and Promise Timing 
39:46 Why Then the Law 
41:25 Covenant Redemption Question 
44:10 Views on Mosaic Covenant 
50:53 Land Promise and Obedience 
53:38 Assessing Klinean Appeal 
01:00:57 Luke and Nations Blessing 
01:03:44 Closing Thanks and Resources

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Summary

In the Coffee House, Jonny and John Mark are joined by James Dolezal to explore angelic incorporeity and why speculative angelology has fallen out of fashion. They discuss how empiricism and scientism have undermined confidence in immaterial realities and left Christians with thinner conceptual categories for speaking about angels, souls, and God, even when Scripture clearly teaches angels exist. Dolezal argues that recovering robust metaphysics helps distinguish God from even the highest creatures, critiques popular Genesis 6 “Nephilim interbreeding” theories as metaphysically incoherent, and explains angels as created pure spirits with finitude grounded not in matter but in act-potency and essence-existence composition. The conversation also surveys early Protestant interest in angelology and touches on angelic knowledge, power, and natural immortality.

Timestamps

00:00 Defining Incorporeality
01:34 Angels and Immaterial Implications
04:09 Why Talk About Angels
05:56 Modernity and Scientism
09:48 Losing Metaphysical Categories
11:57 Nephilim and Cultural Confusion
15:14 AI Angels and Creaturely Simplicity
16:53 Created Pure Spirits Explained
18:53 Matter Form and Finitude
23:23 Spiritual Matter Debate
26:40 Genesis Six Revisited
30:17 No Sensual Appetites
32:33 Universal Hylomorphism Challenge
34:15 Essence Existence in Angels
36:17 Relative Infinity Explained
37:56 God Every Way Infinite
42:06 Protestant Angelology Returns
47:24 Empiricism and Witch Trials
51:15 Satan Pride and Jealousy
58:06 How Angels Know
01:02:05 Angels Clarify God
01:06:33 Wrap Up and Next Time 

Links

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Episode Snapshot

John Mark and Johnny sit down with theologian Daniel Scheiderer for a deep dive into covenant theology. From his studies with Dr. Steven Wellum at Southern Seminary to real-world ministry conversations, Daniel helps us compare progressive covenantalism, new covenant theology, Presbyterian Federalism and 1689 federalism—and why these distinctions matter for Baptists today.

Key Sections

Progressive Covenantalism 101 – How it synthesizes biblical-theological themes without flattening covenants.

Law & Gospel Nuance – Why the moral law remains, even when covenantal administrations change.

1689 Federalism – Overlap and friction points with progressive frameworks.

Meet the Guest

Daniel Scheiderer is a pastor-theologian and PhD candidate who studied under Dr. Steven Wellum at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His research focuses on covenant development across redemptive history and its implications for Baptist ecclesiology.

 Resources & Links 

Covenant Theology: From Adam to Christ – Nehemiah Coxe and John Owen

Kingdom Through Covenant – Peter Gentry & Steven Wellum (Crossway)

Progressive Covenantalism – Eds. Stephen Wellum & Brent Parker

Second London Baptist Confession (1677/89)

Tags

#ProgressiveCovenantalism #CovenantTheology #1689Federalism #NewCovenantTheology #ReformedTheology #ConfessionalBaptist #TheologyPodcast #SouthernSeminary #StevenWellum #BiblicalTheology #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudy

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In this episode, Jonny is joined by Oliver Allmand-Smith as they dive into a deep and thought-provoking discussion with Rich Barcellos on his journey to confessionalism, interpreting the Second London Confession, and the influence of early theological education. The conversation covers a comprehensive range of topics including the significance of scriptural ontology, teleology; how the Westminster Confession shaped his theological views; the impact of modern interpretations on biblical texts; and the critique of red-letter editions of the Bible. They also explore the context behind biblical hermeneutics, comparing rationalist and subjective interpretive methods, and how they influence our understanding of scripture. The episode also touches on the role of confessions in evangelical churches, the importance of hymnal tradition, and the apostles' role in theology. This theological dialogue dissects the intricate relationship between scripture, tradition, and modern interpretation, offering a holistic view for both congregants and ministers.

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In this episode Tom Hicks joins the guys to discuss Theonomy, the application of the Judicial Law and the relationship between the Law and the Gospel. Their discussion also touches on many themes relating to these topics such as government, lesser and greater magistrates, reconstruction-ism, creation mandates and their application to today, and much more...

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In this Session of the Coffee House, Timothy Decker joins Jonny and John-Mark to discuss the practice of 'textual criticism' in biblical studies and pastoral ministry. They dig deep into the issue of whether the language of 'criticism' is helpful, how this practice has been a useful tool to the church in the past and why it still has relevance to the church today. They also touch on issues of church and state, preaching and academia, the relationship between systematic theology, biblical studies and pastoral ministry, and the place of the Johannine Comma (found in 1 John 5:7-8) within the Scriptures.

Timothy is Pastor at Trinity Reformed Baptist Church, VA and teaches New Testament at International Reformed Baptist Seminary and Covenant Baptist Theological Seminary. He has recently written "A Revolutionary Reading of Romans 13" and regularly blogs at CBTS where his articles on textual criticism and the Reformed Tradition can be found.

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In this episode, Jonny and John-Mark are joined by James Dolezal to discuss the weaknesses of revelational epistemology in theology. They begin by discussing Barth's approach to revelational epistemology, before moving to more contemporary approaches often labelled 'Van Tillian' or 'Reformed'. Some key figures discussed in this episode are Barth, Descartes, Kant, Aquinas, and Cornelius Van Til. The guys close by discussing some implications, and making the positive case for a classic nature / grace distinction in epistemology, where the Word of God bears upon all things pertaining to salvation.

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