Gospelbound

“We would rather have a leader who will beat up our enemies than one who will tenderly care for the sheep,” Michael Kruger writes in his new book, Bully Pulpit: Confronting the Problem of Spiritual Abuse in the Church, published by Zondervan. 

Spiritual abuse is a relatively new and amorphous concept. Kruger defines it this way:

Spiritual abuse is when a spiritual leader—such as a pastor, elder, or head of a Christian organization—wields his position of spiritual authority in such a way that he manipulates, domineers, bullies, and intimidates those under him as a means of maintaining his own power and control, even if he is convinced he is seeking biblical and kingdom-related goals.

It’s the opposite of Jesus and his paradoxical ministry model. He didn’t lead by demanding his rights but by giving them up. Mike joined me on Gospelbound to discuss how to train pastors who won’t abuse their flocks, why he focuses on Reformed churches, whether he’s changed his own leadership, and more.

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In his new book, The Thrill of Orthodoxy: Rediscovering the Adventure of Christian Faith, Trevin Wax writes, “The thrill of orthodoxy lies in its challenge. We are called to become not merely nice neighbors who are kind and polite, but holy people who look more and more like Jesus.”

Trevin Wax joined Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss why heresy hunters turn out to be heretics, how we can know if something is orthodox, and why he’s confident the future belongs to the orthodox.

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Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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Thomas Jefferson, whose lofty writings on freedom when compared to his practice of slaveholding are part of the real “wall of separation” in American politics and religion. These contradictions make him the subject of many biographies, including the most recent from Thomas Kidd: Thomas Jefferson: A Biography of Spirit and Flesh. Dr. Kidd is research professor of church history at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City and the author of many outstanding works.

Thomas Kidd joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss Jefferson’s views on Christianity and politics. They also talk a bit about how Christians should approach history in general.

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Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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In the digital age, it feels like life moves too far, too fast.

That’s why we need wise guides such as Jay K. Kim, author of Analog Christian: Cultivating Contentment, Resilience, and Wisdom in the Digital Age. Jay writes, “This is where we are in the digital age, existing in an untenable state of unceasing connection to the curated lives of others—all of their highlights, none of their low-lights.”

Perhaps the simple solution would be to spend more time offline. But our colorful smartphones make the real world look grayscale in comparison. Jay writes, “Because much of life in the real world is uncomfortable, awkward, or boring, so we opt for digital escape. We increasingly prefer and default to worlds of our own making.”

You might know Jay from his previous book, Analog Church. He is lead pastor of teaching at WestGate Church in Silicon Valley and teacher-in-residence at Vintage Faith Church in Santa Cruz, California. Jay joined me on Gospelbound to discuss comparison and contempt, love on the move, the design of social media, hate and hurt, chronological snobbery, and more.

Use code “GOSPELBOUND” for 25% off tuition.

Learn more at downlinememphis.com/virtual-institute or email [email protected] for group pricing and discounts.

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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His latest book, Where the Light Fell: A Memoir, is the culmination of more than 50 years for Philip Yancey as a Christian writer. In it, you’ll see a clear display of his two life themes—suffering and grace—which characterize all his books.

Where the Light Fell is remarkably honest as Yancey draws inspiration from God’s Word. He writes, “I know of no more real or honest book than the Bible, which hides none of its characters’ flaws.”

Yancey joined Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss the hinge moment of his life, the scar of his father, the reconstruction of his faith, and more.

Use code “GOSPELBOUND” for 25% off tuition.

Learn more at downlinememphis.com/virtual-institute or email [email protected] for group pricing and discounts.

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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In the new book, Faith in the Wilderness: Words of Exhortation from the Chinese Church, Hannah Nation and co-editor, Simon Liu, offer a perspective of what we can learn from Chinese pastors who are facing persecution.

Nation says, “We descendants of Christendom fear cultural marginalization, but let us remember that those on the margins often preach the gospel more boldly, fearlessly, and humbly than those at the center, for they have nothing to lose and no stakeholders to upset.”

Hannah Nation joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss persecution, pestilence, judgment, and justification.

Use code “GOSPELBOUND” for 25% off tuition.

Learn more at downlinememphis.com/virtual-institute or email [email protected] for group pricing and discounts.

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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There is almost nothing so beautiful as forgiveness—but, must we choose between forgiveness and justice? Does forgiveness merely empower abusers?

Enter Tim Keller in his latest book, Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? The bestselling author and co-founder of The Gospel Coalition doesn’t neglect the cost of forgiveness. He writes, “Forgiveness is always a form of voluntary suffering that brings about a greater good.” Sometimes that greater good accrues to the one who forgives. It may feel like an optional exercise, but only if we don’t consider the alternative. 

Tim Keller joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to discuss what happens when a society doesn’t forgive, whether it’s ever ok not to forgive, the two stages of forgiveness, and more.

Use code “GOSPELBOUND” for 25% off tuition.

Learn more at downlinememphis.com/virtual-institute or email [email protected] for group pricing and discounts.

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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In Jesus through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us Know and Love the Lord, published by The Gospel Coalition, Rebecca McLaughlin explores the life-changing accounts of women who met the Lord. By entering the stories of the named and unnamed women in the Gospels, this book gives readers a unique lens to see Jesus as these women did and marvel at how he loved them in return.

Rebecca McLaughlin joins Collin Hansen on this episode of Gospelbound to discuss the Gnostic Gospels, feminism, and more. 

Use code “GOSPELBOUND” for 25% off tuition.

Learn more at downlinememphis.com/virtual-institute or email [email protected] for group pricing and discounts.

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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In 2009, around 25 percent of American high school students said they had “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.” By 2021, it was up to 44 percent, the highest level of teenage sadness ever recorded. For girls, the number was even higher: 57 percent.

What could account for such a dramatic change between 2009 and today?

If you looked at a group of teenagers then and now, the main difference you’d see is the modern teens hunched over their smartphones.

These stats come from an episode of TGC’s Recorded podcast, in which Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra shares the stories of young women being shaped by social media. She talks directly to Gen Z about what they think, feel, and believe.

Sarah has also edited a book, Social Sanity in an Insta World (TGC, 2022) that brings biblical and theological perspectives to bear on our social media use. Contributors include Melissa Kruger, Jen Wilkin, Ruth Chou Simons, and Laura Wifler. Sarah is senior writer for The Gospel Coalition and coauthor with me of the book Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age. She lives with her husband and sons outside Chicago.

Sarah joined me on Gospelbound to discuss influencers, fasting, and taking advice from strangers.

Use code “GOSPELBOUND” for 25% off tuition.

Learn more at downlinememphis.com/virtual-institute or email [email protected] for group pricing and discounts.

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

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You are not in control. You never have been. You never will be.

That fact of life is tough for many of us to swallow. “The cultural air I breathe has trained me to think that life should be more carefree, predictable, and in control than it is,” Scott Sauls writes in his new book, Beautiful People Don’t Just Happen: How God Redeems Regret, Hurt, and Fear in the Making of Better Humans, (Zondervan). 

Scott Sauls is senior pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, and author of six books. Scott writes with a kind of vulnerability that is not common for many authors, let alone pastors. He tells us that we can find him in the church basement with the marginal characters Jesus seemed to attract. “He wounds us sometimes,” Scott admits, “but always and only to heal us.” Just look around the room sometime when your church sings “It Is Well.” You’ll notice it’s those who suffered most who sing the loudest. They have forsaken their need to control for the peace of faith. 

Scott Sauls joins Collin Hansen on Gospelbound to share what church members would be surprised to learn about their pastors, why deep faith feels like defeat, and how affliction can preach better than a sermon.

Use code “GOSPELBOUND” for 25% off tuition.

Learn more at downlinememphis.com/virtual-institute or email [email protected] for group pricing and discounts.

Check out The Pour Over Podcast — politically neutral news for people who want the facts without the spin, and with a brief biblical perspective

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.