August 2025 marks Coram Deo Church’s 20th birthday. On this episode, we reflect on God's grace to Coram Deo over the past two decades. We discuss the circumstances of the church's founding, the ups and downs of starting and leading a church, and what’s changed in the cultural and ministry environment between 2005 and 2025.

Chapters:
(0:00) Introductions: Happy Birthday, Coram Deo
(2:21) How Coram Deo Got Started
(10:06) What Ministry Looked Like in 2005
(18:35) Leading a Growing Church
(24:32) Joys and Trials
(30:33) Church Planting: Then Vs. Now

If it hasn't happened to you yet... wait for it. Sometime in your mid-30's, life starts to feel mundane. You find yourself asking: How did I get here? Do I like what I do? Do I still want this job? Despite all the cliches, "mid-life crisis" is real. The world urges you to try something new - a new job, a new hobby, maybe even a new spouse. But what if God has a different invitation—one that invites you to interrogate your restlessness? In this episode, we answer a listener question about how to persist at work. We discuss stewardship, settling, friendship, and the wisdom of knowing your portion (Ecclesiastes 9:9).

Chapters:
(0:00) Introductions: I Guess This is a Mid-Life Crisis Podcast
(2:53) Mid-Life as an Invitation to Settledness
(12:35) Settling IN vs. Settling FOR
(21:00) What Does the Lord Want from Me Next?
(25:11) Find People Who Aren’t Impressed with You
(31:02) What Is Your Portion?

John MacArthur, longtime pastor of Grace Community Church in California, passed away on July 14, 2025. MacArthur preached in the same pulpit for 56 years. His recorded sermons and syndicated radio and television programs brought the gospel to people all over the world, and his writings impacted many more. On this episode, we discuss MacArthur’s legacy, the impact of his ministry, where we disagree with him, and the gaps his death leaves behind.

Chapters:

(0:00) Introductions: Patrick and Renee Got Us a Kringle!

(2:25) John MacArthur’s Obituary

(8:34) John’s Life and Ministry

(19:27) Where We Disagree with MacArthur (and Commend Him)

(25:38) Who Are the Next Generation of Stalwart Preachers?  

Resources & Articles:

https://firstthings.com/a-straight-line-to-the-pulpit-the-legacy-of-john-macarthur/

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/us/john-macarthur-dead.html

Communion should be a regular practice for all Christians—but there is freedom in how often and in what ways the church practices this historic sacrament. In this 2018 episode, we discuss how and why our churches observe communion the way we do.

In this episode, we hear a Christian doctor’s perspective on non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). He discusses the accuracy of the tests, explains what they are and aren't good for, and unpacks the challenges of practicing medicine as a Christian (especially in this specialty). We also ask our special guest Hannah what advice she would give to couples who are expecting children. Catch up on Part 1 of this conversation if you missed it.

Chapters:
(0:00) Introductions: More Insights from Hannah’s Journey
(4:30) Advice for Couples Who Are Expecting
(8:16) Bethany’s Experience with NIPT Testing
(14:26) A Christian Doctor’s Perspective on Prenatal Testing
(21:31) Final Thoughts on a Christian Approach to Prenatal Care

Resources & Articles:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/01/upshot/pregnancy-birth-genetic-testing.html
https://wng.org/opinions/discrimination-down-to-a-science-1641556177
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgljz4vve2o
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2022/09/06/inaccurate-prenatal-tests-can-harm-expectant-parents-but-stronger-oversight-can-help
https://time.com/7264271/ivf-pgta-test-lawsuit/

In recent years, pregnant moms have increasingly been offered NIPT (non-invasive prenatal testing) early in pregnancy. Silicon Valley startups are racing to cash in on the market for early-stage tests that can help identify genetic abnormalities and disorders. But it turns out that these tests are highly unreliable and often misleading. A New York Times investigation discovered that the five most common microdeletion tests (tests that look for chromosomal abnormalities) are incorrect 85% of the time. In this episode, a special guest (Hannah) shares her own troubling experience with faulty NIPT testing. Her story highlights the personal and ethical implications of this emerging aspect of prenatal medicine.

(0:00) Introductions: Might There Be Good BBQ in Omaha?
(3:36) A Basic Overview of Pre-Natal Testing
(9:27) Hannah Tells Her Story
(28:49) Spread The Word: Christian Couples Need to Know the Facts on NIPT

Resources & Articles:
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/01/upshot/pregnancy-birth-genetic-testing.html
https://wng.org/opinions/discrimination-down-to-a-science-1641556177
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvgljz4vve2o
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2022/09/06/inaccurate-prenatal-tests-can-harm-expectant-parents-but-stronger-oversight-can-help
https://time.com/7264271/ivf-pgta-test-lawsuit/

Summer is in full swing. We usually talk about big, weighty, theological and cultural topics on this podcast; but in the summertime, we take an episode or two to talk about what we're reading at the pool. In this episode, Bethany leads a conversation exploring the things we’re reading, watching, and thinking about this summer.

(0:00) Introductions: Summer Pursuits
(0:45) What We’re Reading
(10:28) Bob’s TGC Update
(15:40) What We’re Thinking About
(28:36) What We’re Watching (and Listening To)

In the early 2000s, New Atheism was all the rage. Many people left faith behind, convinced they didn't need religion. But it turns out society hasn’t been able to meaningfully replicate the benefits of church. In a recent New York Times article, Lauren Jackson describes how secularism sought to build transcendent community through means like yoga, CrossFit, SoulCycle, meditation and more. Despite these efforts, the data show that there is overwhelming empirical support for the value of being at a house of worship on a regular basis. In this episode, we discuss Jackson's article, and especially her poignant conclusion: "My spiritual longing hasn't been sated by secularism... I want a god."

(0:00) Introductions: Camille from Long Island’s Donut Drop
(2:00) Why America Is Revisiting Faith
(5:05) How Secularism Has Tried (and Failed) to Meet Our Needs
(16:57) Longing for “Inconvenient” Community
(22:31) Christian Community Provides the Meaning We Long For
(28:50) Be More Outgoing About What You Believe

Article: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/style/religion-america.html

Last month, Trinity Classical Academy sent forth its first class of graduating seniors. To mark this milestone, we're republishing an interview that first aired in 2020 on Owen Strachan's now-defunct podcast. At that time, Dr. Strachan was on the faculty at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and he invited Bob Thune to MBTS's Spurgeon Library to talk about the founding of Trinity Classical Academy. The founding and building of institutions is critical for gospel renewal, for societal health, and for the preservation and propagation of Christian faith. The story of TCA's success—from a fledgling startup school to a thriving educational institution—should inspire Christians to be dreamers and builders and doers.

(0:00) Introductions: Bob Introduces Owen Introducing Bob
(4:33) The Origin Story of Trinity Classical Academy
(20:30) The Aim of Education: Formation
(27:13) How Can You be a Catalyst in Your Context?

Welcome back for part 2 of the AI Debate! Bob Thune and Jacob Tewes continue their friendly debate about the proposition: "Christians can and should use AI tools." This episode considers the downstream effects of AI, the faulty anthropology it assumes, the question of whether Christians should be "early adopters," and whether demonology should factor into the conversation. Catch up on Part 1 if you missed it.

(0:00) Introductions: Diving Right Back In
(4:41) AI Assumes an Unbiblical Anthropology
(8:12) Does AI Open Us Up to the Influence of Spiritual Beings?
(20:26) Is Healthy Skepticism Enough?
(35:21) What Should Christians Do with AI?