The Laymens Lounge

We had the privilege of sitting down with Dr. Tom Schreiner to discuss the first couple chapters of Luke - asking how best to make sense of it all and have our calloused hearts hear the story afresh. Join us as we take a Christmas stroll through advent portions of Luke with the sweetheart of sweethearts the good Dr. Tom Schreiner

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Bird and discuss the second edition of his Systematic Theology and what needs he saw that would cause him to take the time to offer the world yet another Systematic Theology.

“I have generally believed that some theologians should be routinely slapped in the face with a soggy fish in order to try to smack some exegetical sense into them. You can only watch someone struggling to push a round peg into a square hole for so long before you finally snatch the peg from them and say, “Just give it here; I’ll do it for you.” - Michael Bird

The life and trials of Nicholas of Myra the Saint who would be Santa Claus. Listen in as we sit down with Dr. Adam English and trace the evolution of Saint Nicholas of Myra, a 4th century Bishop (in modern-day Turkey), to who would become everyone’s favorite jolly toy yielding fat man: Santa Claus. Did he punch Arius? What's the deal with the red suite? Stockings and fireplaces? Saving prostitutes and boiling children? The North Pole? And a bunch more separating fact from fiction.

Listen as we sit down with Dr. Andrew Abernethy to discuss what the Old Testament expected of the coming Messiah and to what end? A conquering King? Forgiveness of sins? Flourishing? Justice? A suffering Servant? God Himself? Shalom? Fiscal Security?...

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Greg Lanier and discuss all things incarnation, asking questions like:

1. Why did the Messiah need to be born of a virgin so meek and mild?

2. Why did the Messiah need to be fully God and fully man?

3. What does it mean that Mary was “overshadowed” by the Spirit?

4. Is Mary to be called the “mother of God”?

5. In the humanity of Jesus He was like us in every way, but can we really say that since we have original sin and He didn’t?

6. What does the title “Son of God” mean?

7. Was Jesus the “son of God” before the incarnation?

8. What does “only begotten son” mean?

9. How did Jesus view his own incarnation?

10. What role does each member of the Trinity play in the incarnation?

Join us as we talk all things Christmas carols with the ever-gracious and holistic Richard Mouw. Dr. Mouw says, “I love Christmas carols, and I even find it inspiring to hear them sung in shopping malls. Some lines in particular tempt me to stop in my tracks. When, surrounded by bustling crowds, I hear that “the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight,” I want to pause and try to imagine the ways in which the coming of Christ speaks to the deepest yearnings of the people.”

Join us as we sit down with leading Islam and Quran scholar Dr. Gordon D. Nickel and ask questions in connection with his recent book, “The Quran with Christian Commentary: A Guide to Understanding the Scripture of Islam”:

- If one were to read the Quran with a complete open-mind, and never heard of Islam or Christianity before, what would the main takeaways be as the big picture?

- What are the issues that even Muslims themselves must concede as far as the Quran perhaps being in error or falsification or a-historical?

- What sort of things should we look for when reading the Quran when we read with the desire to have constructive conversations with Muslims from the source?

- Have you ever encountered anyone who ended up fully rejection or seriously begin to question their belief in the Quran?

- What claims does the Quran make about itself and what claims do others make about it?

- What do the rank and file Muslims think about the Quran? What are their take aways when read it?

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Robert Tracy McKenzie as he helps separate fact from fiction on Pilgrims, the Mayflower and Thanksgiving. Dr. McKenzie is the author of “The First Thanksgiving What the Real Story Tells Us About Loving God and Learning from History” (IVP Academic 2013), and we ask him:

1. Any notable people in that band, or did they leave anything behind as far as books or dogma that we moderns might have caught wind of?

2. Why do we love the drama of finding out history is embellished and uncovering misconceptions…? Like, realizing the Pilgrims didn’t actually have little buckles on their somber black shoes?

3. Who were these people, where did they come from and why?

4. Where does our historical info for the pilgrims come?

5. If there wasn’t a holiday after these guys what would be compelling about them?

6. Is it anathema to put up Christmas decorations prior to Thanksgiving?

7. What can we keep in our minds about these pilgrims and how can we benefit beyond a couple deviled eggs and a Macys Day Parade?

Join us we sit down with J.V. Fesko and ask him, in connection with his new book “The Need for Creeds Today: Confessional Faith in a Faithless Age”:

- In what ways are some Confessional Christians like grouchy territorial local surfers?

- Is the Presbyterian Westminster Confession more bonafide and cooler than the Baptist 1689 Confession?

- Are Baptists truly “Reformed”

- What do you say to “No Creed but the Bible”?

- Why do some Reformed Confessional Christians come off a lil’ on the smug side, almost like an acceptable cage-stage vibe? 

- Can I pick and choose from the various confessions/catechisms, or need I only choose one?

- What are the benefits of the confessions/catechisms beyond mere mental assent to the vital doctrinal truths for, say things like, low self-esteem, listening to music (non-“Christian”), weekend beach trips, etc.?

- If you’re a person who is in the Word, engaging in reading and Bible study, won’t they naturally end up where the authors of the confessions end up?

- Why have confessions largely fallen into disuse? And where are we seeing it taking its toll on us?

- Where do we see the confessions at their best?

- Doctrinal issues are timeless and there is a clear need for those to be set in stone (as they are in the confessions), however, we are “Reformed and always reforming”, as such, shouldn’t we be updating them to speak to issues and questions that we face today?

- It seems the Westminster Standards have heavier rotation than that of the 3 forms of unity why is that?

What is the focus of the Bible? Heaven? Kingdom? Covenant? Justification? Glory to God? Join us as we sit down with J. Scott Duvall and J. Daniel Hays as we discuss the unity of the whole Bible. Listen as they speak to God's desire to be with his people is a thread running from Genesis through Revelation. Duvall and Hays make the case that God's relational presence is central to the Bible's grand narrative. It is the cohesive center that drives the whole biblical story and ties together other important biblical themes, such as covenant, kingdom, glory, and salvation history.