Theologically Driven

What is a missionary, biblically speaking—and why should the local church, not the individual, be at the center of missions? In this episode of Theologically Driven, Phil Cecil is joined by Jeremy Pittsley, a Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary professor and former missionary to Kenya, to unpack a biblical theology of church and missions.

Jeremy walks through the definitions of "church" and "missionary" from Acts 13 and 16, explains why sending must come from a local congregation, and lays out the core task of a missionary: gospel proclamation, gathering believers into local churches, and raising up indigenous leadership. Whether you're a pastor shaping your church's missions strategy, a missionary raising support, or just want a clearer biblical framework for missions, this episode offers grounded, practical theology drawn straight from the book of Acts.

Learn more about Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary and fall class registration at dbts.edu.

Does a literal sacrificial system in Ezekiel 40–48 contradict the finality of Christ's sacrifice in Hebrews? Jeremy Pittsley walks through the main interpretations of the millennial temple and answers the three most common objections to taking Ezekiel literally: that it's a retrogression to the Mosaic system, that it redefines atonement, and that it denigrates the sufficiency of Christ.

Theologically Driven is a podcast of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn more at dbts.edu.

Does writing still matter once you're out of seminary? Dr. Mark Snoeberger joins Theologically Driven to make the case that good thinking and good writing go hand in hand — and that a well-researched paper is closer to a sermon than most pastors realize. He covers why every preacher should manuscript, how to write for the church instead of the academy, the discipline of setting work aside and returning with fresh eyes, and how to take criticism without falling apart. He also gives a candid assessment of AI: helpful for editing and bibliography, dangerous for composition, and no substitute for the insight that only comes from doing the work yourself.

Theologically Driven is a podcast of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn more at dbts.edu.

Pastor David Doran Jr. of Resurrection Church in Lincoln Park joins Theologically Driven to talk about leading a church through a merger. Drawing on his own experience merging two congregations in 2019, David walks through why mergers are increasingly strategic for the church, the good reasons to merge (and the good reasons not to), how to tell whether two churches are truly compatible beyond their statements of faith, and the leadership traits — humility, honesty, and hard work — the process demands. He also unpacks the dangers that derail mergers (fragmentation, reminiscing, and dithering) and offers a memorable framework for the journey: dating, engagement, and marriage. A practical, honest conversation for pastors, church planters, and seminary students.

Learn more about DBTS at https://dbts.edu

Financial planning for pastors doesn't require a big salary—it requires a plan. In this episode of Theologically Driven, Dr. John Aloisi joins us to talk about biblical financial stewardship for pastors, ministry leaders, and seminary students. We cover the one principle that matters most (spend less than you make and invest the difference), how to calculate your net worth and cash flow, the 4% rule for retirement planning, budgeting, where we agree and disagree with Dave Ramsey, Roth IRAs vs. traditional retirement accounts, and ministry-specific issues like parsonages, housing allowances, and opting out of Social Security. Whether you're decades into ministry or just starting seminary, these practical first steps will help you steward what God has given you.

Theologically Driven is a podcast of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn more at dbts.edu.

In this episode of Theologically Driven, we review Carl Trueman's latest book, The Desecration of Man. Following The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self and Strange New World, Trueman argues that the West's rejection of God has led to the desecration of humanity itself, since humans bear God's image. We discuss his case that our culture's problem is not disenchantment but desecration, how technology has handed us godlike power over life and death (IVF, surrogacy, genetic screening, assisted suicide), why Protestants need a more robust anthropology, and where we think the book falls short on the gospel.

Theologically Driven is a podcast of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn more at dbts.edu.

Is God's moral law written on every human heart? In this episode of Theologically Driven, host Phil Cecil continues the discussion of natural law, walking through the key New Testament passages—the Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12, Paul's sermons in Acts 14 and 17, and Romans 1, 2, and 13—including the debated question of whether Romans 2:14–15 describes believing or unbelieving Gentiles. The conversation then turns to how human depravity fits with natural law, the content of natural law (life, family, community, and religion), the five ways it can be known, and its three primary uses for the Christian life and civil society.

Theologically Driven is a podcast of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn more or apply at dbts.edu.

What does the Bible actually say about natural law? In part two of our three-part series, host Phil Cecil and his guest make the biblical case that God has woven a real, knowable moral order into creation — one that even unbelievers can perceive.

Guided by three questions (Is there an objective moral order? Has it been revealed? Can the unregenerate perceive it?), they walk through the key Old Testament texts: the ordered creation and image of God in Genesis 1–2, the universal Noahic covenant and the institution of human government in Genesis 8–9, and the wisdom-in-creation theme of Proverbs 3 and 8. Along the way they explore why capital punishment is distinct from murder, the "two governments" framework, Solomon's famous judgment between two mothers, and Old Testament unbelievers like Abimelech and Jethro who clearly grasp God's moral order. They then turn to the New Testament, beginning with Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6 and what our instinctive moral reactions reveal about the law written on the heart.

The discussion continues in part three next week. Theologically Driven is a podcast of Detroit Baptist Theological Seminary. Learn more at dbts.edu.

00:00 Introduction and recap

02:24 Three guiding arguments for natural law

06:16 Genesis 1–2: an ordered, purposeful creation

09:08 The image of God and human nature

13:33 The Noahic covenant and human government (Genesis 8–9)

20:53 Wisdom in creation: Proverbs 3 and 8

26:32 Solomon's judgment and the limits of "rules"

28:52 Unbelievers who perceive moral order: Abimelech and Jethro

32:13 Turning to the New Testament: Jesus in Matthew 6

35:06 What our moral instincts reveal

36:37 Wrapping up — and a look ahead to part 3

In part one of a series on natural law, host Phil Cecil sits down to define natural law, distinguish it from natural theology and general revelation, trace why Protestants grew suspicious of it, and explore how it fits a dispensational, two-governments view of civil and redemptive life.

Learn more about DBTS at https://dbts.edu

What should you do when someone you love says they're "deconstructing" their faith? In this episode of Theologically Driven, host Phil Cecil sits down with Pastor Dave Marriott of Lakewood Baptist Church, whose doctoral research focused on equipping the church to respond to deconstruction and deconversion. They discuss what true conversion is, the difference between deconstruction, deconversion, and a simple doctrinal shift, the four phases that typically lead someone away from the faith, and how the stories people tell about leaving Christianity often hide the real reasons. The conversation closes with practical help for church members walking alongside a doubting friend and for pastors who want to prepare their congregations before doubts take root.

Learn more about DBTS at https://dbts.edu