“I’m a Christian, but I don’t need a church. Nature is where I find God.” Whatever the stated reasoning, those who avoid church attendance and membership often do so without understanding why believers need the Church and the Church needs them.   Guest Terry Johnson has written many books and has served in church ministry for over 40 years. In his latest work, Johnson uses key New Testament passages to explain why local church attendance is essential in the life of every believer and how that mutual accountability cannot be replaced by parachurch activity or informal spirituality.    
Christian Focus Publications provided three copies of Who Needs the Church: Why We Need the Church (and Why the Church Needs Us) for a giveaway. Congratulations to our winners: Tony T. from Alderson, WV, Skyler M. from Vancouver, WA, and Kandice T. from Enterprise, AL.

Who Needs the Church?

Theology on the Go is a brief conversation on eternal truths. It features Jonathan Master — seminary president and author — and James Dolezal — author and university professor.  Each bi-weekly discussion features a key biblical doctrine in both a thoughtful and accessible way, proving the relevance of theology for Christians every day!

Religion & Spirituality

Other

Spirituality

Christianity

Buddhism

Hinduism

Judaism

Islam

James and Jonathan welcome their bowtie-clad friend, T. David Gordon, to discuss his latest book, Choose Better: 5 Biblical Models for Making Ethical Decisions. How do we know if we’re making the best choices possible? T. David says that over the centuries, Christians in different traditions have distilled scriptural guidance into five models for ethical decision-making. These models give us clear questions to ask in every situation, helping us improve our choices and better understand the choices of fellow believers—especially when they differ from ours.
The creature made in God’s image has the capacity for reflection, for contemplation, for decision making, and so any choice we make about any aspect of our life is a reflection of the image of God in us, and therefore, it is subject to ethical inspection. – T. David Gordon
Tune in to discover how T. David’s five biblical models for making ethical decisions equip believers to think biblically and choose better. And also learn why one of these models has him regularly spending a night sleeping in the forest. You may be inspired to grab a hammock and follow suit!
For the opportunity to win a copy of Choose Better, thanks to the generosity of P&R Publishing, enter here. 
 
Show Notes:
Why Johnny Can’t Preach by T. David Gordon:
https://reformedresources.org/why-johnny-cant-preach-paperback/

Choose Better

It’s a trip down memory lane as Jonathan and James sit down with their former student, John Biegel, who is now serving as the lead pastor at Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Annandale, VA. John recently authored a book, Offering and Embracing Christ: The Marrow Theology of John Colquhoun of Leith. Less well known than the famous “marrow man,” Thomas Boston, Conquhoun was a faithful Scottish minister and Calvinist whose life and preaching reflected the thought of the Marrow men on offering and embracing Christ.
Colquhoun stands out as being especially indebted to Boston and Erskine and this whole stream of Marrow theology in a way that is unparalleled in the Church of Scotland at the time and really sets up what ends up being this evangelical revival in the Church of Scotland in the early 19th century. – John Biegel 
James and Jonathan are justifiably proud of their former student and commend his book to all, but in particular to anyone who feels the tension between the free offer of the gospel and particular atonement. 
For the opportunity to win a copy of John’s book, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Reformation Heritage Books, enter here. 
 
Show Notes:
John recommends the following books by John Colquhoun: 
The Covenant of Grace: https://heritagebooks.org/products/the-covenant-of-grace-colquhoun.html
A View of Saving Faith: https://a.co/d/4C2HKUl
A Treatise on the Law and the Gospel*: https://www.heritagebooks.org/products/a-treatise-on-the-law-and-the-gospel-colquhoun-hardcover.html
https://thelawandthegospel.com/Repentance: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/theology-books/repentance/

Offering and Embracing Christ

Jonathan and James sit down with Brandon Crowe, an author and professor of New Testament at Westminster Theological Seminary, to discuss his latest work, The Lord Jesus Christ: The Biblical Doctrine of the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. Brandon traces Christ’s person and work throughout the Old and New Testaments and church history through biblical, historical, and theological study and then presents systematic and practical implications. 
The book is something like a one-stop-shop where it’s not just the systematics or just biblical theology. It really brings those two between the same covers, and not just that, but also the practical applications of what this means for our salvation and for our worship of Christ. – James Dolezal
Written from a confessionally Reformed perspective in concert with the great creeds of the church, The Lord Jesus Christ provides a thorough and trustworthy guide to understanding Jesus and his salvific work.
For the opportunity to win a copy of Brandon’s book, thanks to the generosity of Lexham Press, enter here.

The Person and Work of Jesus Christ

James and Jonathan are excited to kick off the Theology on the Go book club today with their good friend Jeffrey Stivason, coming together to discuss The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan. Jeff is pastor of Grace Reformed Presbyterian Church and a professor at Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary. 
In this episode, they will discuss the book's first section, from the City of Destruction to the Wicket Gate. So grab your copy of The Pilgrim's Progress (or order one here if you don't own one) and follow along with our knowledgeable and passionate hosts. Jeff believes this book has profoundly impacted his Christian experience, and he highly commends it to others.
[The Pilgrim's Progress] has the ability to take me by the heart…I just find myself thinking; this is so much like us – to not be able to see the best of things but to be able to see the worst of things so clearly. And here [Christian] is, arriving at the gate, and it's a little triumph and it's a lot of joy to see him move through this part of the path. It feels like life itself, doesn't it? – Jeff Stivason
Thanks to the generosity of our friends at Banner of Truth, we have a couple copies of  Bunyan’s classic work to offer for a giveaway. Click here to enter. 
Each episode over the next several months will discuss a few chapters of the classic work. Part 2 of the book club will air on April 29th, at which time we will cover "The Interpreter's House" (pp. 25-29 in the Banner Books edition). 
Show Notes:
To order your copy of The Pilgrim’s Progress:https://reformedresources.org/the-pilgrims-progress-clothbound/
The Strait Gate by John Bunyanhttps://a.co/d/abUTGaJ

The Pilgrim's Progress: Part 1

Zachary Groff, pastor of Antioch Presbyterian Church and managing editor of The Confessional Presbyterian Journal, joins James and Jonathan today to discuss the 19th annual edition of the publication, which celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Presbyterian Church in America. While serious-minded academically, the journal is accessible to readers from all backgrounds. One ringing theme is the intersection of faithfulness to the Scripture, being true to the Reformed faith, and obedience to the Great Commission. 
It is a very helpful platform...or venue for promoting discussion among conservative and confessional evangelicals on matters not just of confessional theology but also, more broadly, speaking biblical theology, recent publications, and even ongoing debates. — Zach Groff
Get a copy to read about John Gresham Machen and his role in forming the PCA, the history and formation of the Standing Judicial Commission, a fascinating look at oaths and vows and witnesses in the courts of Presbyterian churches, and ecclesial unity and creation doctrine.
Congratulations to our winners, Cynthia C. from Jonesborough, TN and Stephen S. from Jacksonville, FL, each of whom won a copy of the 19th edition of The Confessional Presbyterian Journal!
 
Show Notes:
To order your copy of the journal: www.logcollegepress.com/confessional-presbyterian-journal
Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary: www.gpts.edu

Who Needs the Church?

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