The Broken Wharfe Podcast

Why must preachers call sinners to repent immediately if fallen people cannot come to Christ without grace?

In Episode 50, John-Mark and Oliver Allmand-Smith are joined by Dr Robert Strivens, Director of the Reformed Baptist Study Centre, to discuss Andrew Fuller and the duty of calling all people to immediate repentance and faith.

Drawing on Fuller’s The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation, Robert explains the difference between physical and guilty moral inability, Fuller’s answer to hyper-Calvinism, and how God uses gospel preaching to bring sinners to Christ.

Robert then distils Fuller’s concluding reflections into seven lessons for evangelistic preaching. Ministers must preach without discrimination, direct sinners away from themselves and towards Christ, urge and plead rather than merely explain, call for genuine conversion rather than outward reform, and leave every hearer in no doubt of their duty to repent and believe now.

EPISODE RESOURCES

Robert’s article, “Andrew Fuller and the Call to Immediate Repentance”:
https://rbstudycentre.com/andrew-fuller-and-the-call-to-immediate-repentance-lessons-for-evangelistic-preaching-today/

The Reformed Baptist Study Centre:
https://rbstudycentre.com/

LISTENER DISCOUNT

Use code brokenwharfepodcast at checkout for £5/$5 off any of these three related titles:

The Seraphic Samuel Pearce by Michael A. G. Haykin:
https://brokenwharfe.com/product/the-seraphic-samuel-pearce-the-piety-and-theology-of-a-particular-baptist-pastor/

History of the English Calvinistic Baptists, 1771–1892 by Robert W. Oliver:
https://brokenwharfe.com/product/history-of-the-english-calvinistic-baptists/

Spurgeon’s Pastoral Wisdom, edited by Geoffrey Chang:
https://brokenwharfe.com/product/spurgeons-pastoral-wisdom-articles-on-the-church-and-the-ministry-from-the-sword-and-the-trowel/

Browse Broken Wharfe:
https://brokenwharfe.com/

CHAPTERS

00:00 – The Duty to Repent
00:53 – Welcome to Episode 50
01:19 – The Reformed Baptist Study Centre
03:26 – Study Without Dry Orthodoxy
06:04 – Andrew Fuller and Serious Learning
07:15 – Who Was Andrew Fuller?
09:47 – The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation
12:43 – Moral and Physical Inability
16:07 – Fuller, Missions and the Free Offer
17:54 – Preaching as God’s Appointed Means
23:42 – Seven Lessons for Gospel Preaching
27:30 – Trust Christ, Not Merely Truths
29:40 – Pleading, Not Merely Explaining
32:13 – Duty, Delight and the Sin of Unbelief
35:32 – The Call to Immediate Repentance
40:10 – Robert’s Article and Listener Discount

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In this episode, John-Mark is joined by Dr. Robert Strivens to discuss "The 1689 Handbook", a chapter-by-chapter introduction to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith with a foreword by Michael Haykin. 

Strivens outlines his pastoral background in Bradford-on-Avon, his years at London Seminary, and his earlier career as a solicitor, then explains how he moved from suspicion of confessions to valuing them, especially the 1689 as reflecting Scripture. He describes the book’s origin in Reformation Today articles and its aim to provide a concise, non-polemical entry point alongside larger commentaries.

The conversation highlights how confessions and church history help believers see beyond modern cultural assumptions, clarify doctrine on God and human freedom, connect to earlier councils and Reformation confessions, encourage careful understanding of language, and show that theology should serve piety and pastoral Christian living.

Available Here: The 1689 Handbook

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John-Mark welcomes Dr J. Ryan Davidson, pastor of Grace Baptist Chapel in Hampton, Virginia and dean of students at the International Reformed Baptist Seminary, to discuss his new Broken Wharfe booklet "Thinking Through Addiction". Drawing on Proverbs 23:29–35, Davidson presents addiction as the repeated, sinful misuse of created things to the detriment of soul, mind, and body, closely tied to idolatry and often marked by habitual return despite consequences. They contrast biblical categories with modern claims that addiction is only a disease, affirming possible physiological components while maintaining moral responsibility, self-control, and mortification of sin. The conversation stresses compassion, the necessity of the gospel and the local church’s means of grace, and appropriate partnership with medical or clinical help in severe cases. Davidson concludes with hope in justification and sanctification through union with Christ.

Read the Booklet: Thinking Through Addiction

Read the Ebook: Thinking Through Addiction Ebook

00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro
01:59 Booklet Origins and Purpose
04:01 Proverbs 23 and Addiction
06:52 Defining Addiction Biblically
09:28 Scripture vs Modern Models
15:05 Idolatry and Habitual Sin
20:00 Why Consequences Dont Stop It
25:47 Gospel Freedom and Church Help
29:43 Church or Clinical Treatment
34:47 Gospel Hope to the End
39:35 Wrap Up and Booklet Details

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John-Mark and Oliver welcome Joey Tomlinson, pastor of Deer Park Fellowship in Newport News, Virginia, to discuss his children’s board book Why We Gather and its connection to the resource Gathered for Glory.

Tomlinson argues that Christians must prioritize gathered worship because Christ is worthy, God commands it, and it is spiritually good for believers, warning against replacing corporate worship with individualized “worship in all of life.” He outlines a biblical-theological case for the Lord’s Day as the Christian Sabbath rooted in creation, Christ’s resurrection and Pentecost, and the New Testament’s corporate assumptions (including preaching, church oversight, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper).

The conversation emphasizes teaching children that Sunday worship is the “best day,” cultivating anticipation through weekly rhythms, practicing hospitable, and services of worship where children learn and are confronted by the means of grace.

You can get "Why We Worship" by Joey Tomlinson on discount at brokenwharfe.com alongside our newly published resource "Gathered For Glory" by Oliver Allmand-Smith.

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In this episode, we're joined by Stephane Simonnin and Oliver Allmand-Smith to explore the extraordinary story of William Tyndale and his groundbreaking English translation of the New Testament. Published in 1526, Tyndale's work defied the religious authorities of his day and forever changed the course of the English language, the Christian faith, and Western civilization.

Topics covered:

Who was William Tyndale and what drove him?
Learning Greek and Hebrew in 16th-century England
Fleeing to Germany to translate and print the New Testament
The role of English merchants in smuggling Bibles
Why the Church feared the Bible in English
Tyndale's translation choices: "congregation" vs. "church"
The lasting legacy of 1526 for Protestantism and Bible translation

Timestamps:
0:00 - Introduction & Welcome
1:00 - Meet Stephane Simonnin
4:12 - Tyndale's Life & Biographical Background
8:29 - What Prepared Tyndale for His Great Work?
13:00 - The Impact of Tyndale's English New Testament
14:26 - Why Translating the Bible into English Was So Dangerous
18:22 - Why Were Authorities So Opposed to the Bible in English?
19:58 - What People Discovered (and Didn't Find) in the New Testament
20:49 - Parallels Between Tyndale's Era and Christ's Ministry
22:11 - Reformation, Not Revolution: Going Back to the Bible
26:00 - Was Tyndale a Separatist? His Translation Choices
28:30 - The Tension Between Personal Bible Reading & Preaching
32:32 - The Logistics: Merchants, Printers & Smuggling Bibles
36:47 - Tyndale's Romantic Zeal & the Plowboy Quote
40:52 - Tyndale's Legacy 500 Years On
41:08 - The 1689 Confession on Scripture in the Vulgar Tongue
44:14 - A Catholic Cardinal's View of the Reformation
45:49 - Closing Thoughts & Farewell

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In this episode, Jerry Slate joins the podcast to discuss his new book "Reforming World Missions: Recovering a Biblical and Confessional Missiology".

In the work of world missions, those who send missionaries are just as essential as those who are sent. William Carey famously described missionaries as those who descend into an unexplored pit, while those who support them “hold the ropes.” But if we are to hold the ropes well, we must also know the ropes. Sending churches and cross-cultural church planters alike must be grounded in a missiology that is biblically sound and confessionally robust.

Jerry's book was written to equip churches and missionaries with exactly that kind of theological clarity. Our conversation explores:

• Why confessional theology matters for missions
• The responsibility of sending churches
• The relationship between church planting and the Great Commission
• The free offer of the gospel to all nations
• What faithful missionary preparation should look like today

As the Canons of Dort remind us:

“Moreover, it is the promise of the gospel that whoever believes in Christ crucified shall not perish but have eternal life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be announced and declared without differentiation or discrimination to all nations and people, to whom God in his good pleasure sends the gospel.” (Canons of Dort, Second Head of Doctrine, Article 5)

May God be pleased to raise up many biblically qualified missionaries who are sent well, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.

If you found this helpful, subscribe for more conversations on theology, church history, and the life of the local church.

Get "Reforming World Missions" at Broken Wharfe [brokenwharfe.com] or visit this link - [https://brokenwharfe.com/product/reforming-world-missions-recovering-a-biblical-and-confessional-missiology/]

To learn more about Jerry Slate, Berean Baptist Church, or the Southeastern Association:

www.berean1689church.org

sermonaudio.com/broadcasters/berean1689church/

https://sacbaptists.org/

For inquiries on how to receive the Harvest Field Prayer Guide, send an email to:

[email protected] 

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EP44 Why We Worship: Reclaiming the Glory of Gathered Worship - Ft. Oliver Allmand Smith

In this episode of the Broken Wharfe Podcast, John Mark is joined by Oliver Allmand Smith to discuss his new book, Gathered for Glory: Why We Worship. The conversation delves into the importance of understanding the 'why' behind worship and its theological basis from a pastoral Reformed perspective. They explore key themes such as the purpose, necessity, and essence of worship, emphasizing its Trinitarian nature. The discussion also touches on practical aspects of gathered worship, its significance for believers and their children, and the dangers of undermining worship in contemporary evangelical churches. The episode aims to offer insightful reflections for Reformed and confessional churches to deepen their understanding and practice of worship.

Gathered for Glory: Why We Worship is available at [brokenwharfe.com].

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In this episode of the Broken Wharfe Podcast, John-Mark sits down with Dr. James Renihan to explore the Old and New Testament foundations of baptism. Drawing from his teaching series, IRBS On The Road, Dr. Renihan explains how ritual washings in the Old Covenant point forward to believer’s baptism, why circumcision is fulfilled in regeneration—not baptism—and how baptism serves as a pastoral help to Christians.

Whether you’re Baptist, paedobaptist, or simply wrestling with the theology of baptism, this conversation provides clarity, encouragement, and a strong biblical framework.

📖 What You’ll Learn

Old Testament roots of baptism in ritual washings

Why circumcision points to regeneration, not baptism

The relationship between baptism and confession of faith

How baptism connects with church membership and prudence

Baptism’s pastoral role in assurance and sanctification

⏱️ Chapters
0:00 – Introduction
1:00 – Welcome Dr. James Renihan & IRBS On The Road
2:50 – Goals of the baptism seminar
9:00 – Baptism in the Old Testament: washings & priestly consecration
13:00 – Why New Covenant baptism is one washing
19:00 – Circumcision and regeneration in the New Testament
21:00 – Timothy’s baptism and confession of faith
25:00 – Credobaptism vs. “adult baptism”
27:00 – Baptism, church membership, and prudence with children
34:00 – Baptism as pastoral encouragement for believers
37:00 – IRBS On The Road 2025–26: Sola Scriptura & the Trinity

🔗 Resources & Links

Visit: [brokenwharfe.com] for historical reprints, covenant theology resources, and more.

Book highlight: Nehemiah Coxe on Covenant Theology with John Owen on Hebrews 8, newly available - Covenant Theology: From Adam to Christ [brokenwharfe.com/bookshop]

Invite Dr. Renihan or Dr. Scheiderer to your church through IRBS On The Road: [irbs.org] 

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In this second part of our series on C. H. Spurgeon, host John Mark is joined again by Dr. Brandon Rhea to explore the major controversies, trials, and enduring legacy of the “Prince of Preachers.” Building on the previous discussion of Spurgeon’s life and theology of the Sabbath, Dr. Rhea surveys the defining battles Spurgeon faced—hypercalvinism, slavery, baptismal regeneration, sabbatarianism, and the infamous Downgrade Controversy.

Dr. Rhea explains how Spurgeon’s unwavering convictions about the authority of Scripture, the exclusivity of Christ, and the necessity of doctrinal integrity often came at great personal cost—fractured friendships, public censure, physical illness, and emotional strain. Yet, through suffering, Spurgeon held fast to the truth, refusing to compromise for the sake of pragmatism or popularity. The conversation draws out enduring lessons for today’s church on the need for confessional clarity, the costliness of faithfulness, the centrality of sound doctrine in interchurch fellowship, and the hope believers have in Christ amid trials.

Brandon Rhea is author of Spurgeon’s Forgotten Sabbatarianism: The Fourth Commandment in the Life and Theology of the Prince of Preachers—available at [brokenwharfe.com/bookshop].

00:00 Welcome & Introduction
00:52 Recap of Part One & Episode Overview
02:00 Spurgeon’s Major Controversies
07:59 Slavery & Public Backlash
10:08 Baptismal Regeneration Dispute
12:25 Sabbath Controversies in Scotland
15:20 The Downgrade Controversy
20:45 Doctrinal Clarity in Church Partnerships
27:01 The Cost of Standing for Truth
32:55 Spurgeon’s Theology of Suffering
37:53 Susannah Spurgeon’s Suffering & Support
40:38 Lessons for the Church Today

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In this episode of the Broken Wharfe Podcast, host John Mark is joined by Dr. Brandon Rhea to discuss C. H. Spurgeon's life, ministry, and theology of the Sabbath. Dr. Rhea, a pastor and scholar, shares insights into Spurgeon's Victorian context, confessional theology, personal life, and ministry challenges. He delves into Spurgeon's emphasis on the Christian Sabbath, his strong convictions about God's law, and his dedication to a high doctrine of Christian worship on the Sabbath Day. The conversation also touches upon contemporary lessons from Spurgeon's ministry, highlighting the importance of maintaining doctrinal clarity, the need for corporate worship, confessions of faith and faithfulness to Jesus Christ despite the many temptations to prioritize pragmatic success over obedience to the Lord.

Brandon Rhea is author of "Spurgeon's Forgotten Sabbatarianism: The Fourth Commandment in the Life and Theology of the Prince of Preachers" - available on sale today !

00:00 Welcome to the Broken Wharfe Podcast
00:42 Introducing Dr. Brandon Rhea
01:56 Dr. Rhea's Journey with Spurgeon
07:36 Spurgeon's Victorian Context
15:56 Spurgeon's Theology of the Sabbath
21:15 Spurgeon's Commitment to Sound Doctrine
30:20 The Importance of Gathering for Worship
36:25 Spurgeon's Conversion Story
39:16 Reflections on Worship During COVID
42:25 Closing Thoughts and Next Episode Preview

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