So We Speak

In this week's episode we talked about preaching and the preachers who have had the biggest influence on our lives and in our ministries. Next week, we discuss learning to teach, mistakes young preachers make, and ways to grow in sermon prep. 

Every few months we like to talk books and make recommendations. Here's the best of what we've read lately:

Spirit and Sacrament - Andrew Wilson

My Rebbe - Adin Steinsaltz

How Churchill Waged War - Allen Packwood

The Theopolitan Vision - Peter Leithart

The Churchill Factor - Boris Johnson

"Cometh the Hour, Cometh the Man" - Toby Young

Range - David Epstein

The Undoing Project - Michael Lewis

Presidents of War - Michael Beschloss

"PPE: The Oxford Degree that Runs Britain" - Andy Beckett

Recovering Leadership - Thomas Hill 

James is a really practical book - the Proverbs of the New Testament. It's full of wisdom, conviction, and advice, but it also has some difficult passages on faith and works, favoritism, and taming the tongue. Although it's one of the most popular books in the Bible, it's one of the hardest to put into practice. We talk through how to read and study James in this week's episode. 

The final part of our Q&A episode on the trinity and the age of the universe 

This week we're answering a couple of questions on the doctrine of the trinity and old and new earth creation. Send questions in to [email protected] and we'll answer them on our next Q&A episode!

Donnell and Connell Explain the Trinity 

Faith and Science, Part 1 - What is the relationship between faith and science?

Faith and Science, Part 2 - Panel Discussion

Why would a pastor leave the church? In light of the moral failure, burnout, and doubt that have led to dozens of prominent pastors leaving the church in past few years, we wanted to discuss the pressures of pastoral ministry, how pastors can lose their way, and what to do about it. 

This week, we're discussing Sophia Rosenfeld's excellent article, "Truth and Consequences," published in the Hedgehog Review Summer 2019 issue. 

In the second half of Genesis we meet one of the most important people in all of history: Abraham. For the last 39 chapters of Genesis we see the generations of Abraham, their family disfunction, the twelve sons of Israel, and a trip to Egypt. In the end, we see the character of God as he provides for his chosen people. At the end we give some notes for reading Genesis and getting the most out of some of the difficult passages. 

The opening of Genesis is the foundation for all of Scripture, but it can also be confusing. The creation story, the flood, the genealogies, and the tower of Babel can pose more questions than they answer. This week we talk through the history of the ancient world, what we can learn about God, and what he's still saying through these stories. 

Matthew's gospel is the first book of the New Testament and has been one of the most prominent books in the history of the church. We discuss the unique features of this gospel and talk about why it is the ultimate manual for disciples to learn how to follow Jesus and obey his commands.