Theology for the Rest of Us

Latest Episodes:

178: Is the Gospel Too Good to Be True? with Ricky Jones Oct 21, 2016

Show notes

Occasionally, in life, we experience something that is simply so good, and so profoundly in our favor, that we feel like the thing might be too good! Or, when we sense that something is too good, we may begin to suspect that it isn’t actually true. That’s where the old adage comes in: “If it’s simply too good to be true, it probably isn’t.” Well, is this the case with the Gospel?

In this episode, Kenny interviews pastor and author Ricky Jones about his new book, wherein Ricky talks extensively about this idea of the Gospel being too good to be true. The book is rightly entitled, Too Good to Be True.

Get a copy of “Too Good to Be True” (By Ricky Jones)

177: Should Women Be Allowed to Preach? Oct 20, 2016

Show notes

Traditionally speaking, the role of elder/pastor has been filled by men. But over the last 100-150 years, there has been a movement to allow women to fill the role of elder/pastor within Evangelical churches. With that comes the question as to what type of speaking and preaching women should be allowed to do within the church.

That begs the question: Should women be allowed to preach? If not, why not? If yes, how should that play out in our contemporary church context?

In 1 Timothy 2, the Apostle Paul clearly outlines a form of preaching that ought not be made available for women, however in 1 Corinthians 11 there is a form of public speaking and “prophecy” that women are invited to do, and it seems that women are even expected to speak and lead the congregation in prayer at times.

In this episode, Kenny dives into this topic, highlighting the important elements of 1 Corinthians 11 and 1 Timothy 2, and also giving some modern examples as to how this ought to be executed well by church leaders within our modern church context.

The Accidental Feminist (by Courtney Reissig)

Men and Women, Equal Yet Different (by Alexander Strauch)

Recovering Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (edited by Wayne Grudem & John Piper)

176: What About Deborah? Oct 20, 2016

Show notes

Quite often whenever the topic of women in ministry comes up, defenders of the egalitarian position mention the Old Testament judge Deborah. Some people believe that God’s allowance of a female judge in the Old Testament means that women should be invited into ministry leadership positions with no restrictions whatsoever. Is this true?

In this episode, Kenny elaborates upon the story from the Book of Judges and highlights the lessons we can learn from the life of Deborah.

The Accidental Feminist (by Courtney Reissig)

175 : Why Should Women Change Their Name When They Get Married? Oct 19, 2016

Show notes

It has been a typical practice in North America for women to change their last name when they get married. Is this a Biblical practice? If not, would it be wrong if a woman doesn’t change her name?

In this episode, Kenny dives into answering this question by pointing out the opportunity women have to demonstrate their own loyalties to their husband and their marriage covenant.

174: Should Women Be Allowed to Be Pastors? Oct 18, 2016

Show notes

There has been a relatively recent phenomenon within modern church movements to open the office of elder/pastor to women. While this was not the historical norm of churches, it has become acceptable in many churches over the past century.

So, is this Biblical? Is God okay with women being pastors? Or should churches embrace the traditional view of the office of elder and role of pastor where the role was reserved for men only?

In this episode, Kenny dives into this potentially controversial topic. Kenny reviews the last several episodes of the podcast, reiterating the complementarian perspective, and then dives into answering this question by highlighting verses from the letter written by the Apostle Paul to his protege Timothy.

Highlighted Verses

1 Timothy 2:11-14

Genesis 1 & 2

173: What is Egalitarianism? Oct 16, 2016

Show notes

Egalitarianism is a thought within the world of philosophy that promotes precise equality among all people. But in Christian theology, the term egalitarianism typically refers to the concept that both males and females ought to be treated precisely the same and viewed the same, that men and women should not be assigned roles based upon their gender (but only upon their individual skill sets), and that all positions of church leadership within the local church should be open to both men and women.

In this episode, Kenny explains the modern “Christian egalitarian” perspective, specifically contrasting it with the traditional complementarian perspective. Kenny articulates why he disagrees with the egalitarian position that has become popular amongst many modern Evangelicals.

Recommended Books

The Accidental Feminist: Restoring Our Delight in God’s Good Design (by Courtney Reissig)

Men and Women, Equal Yet Different (by Alexander Strauch)

The Meaning of Marriage (by Timothy Keller)

Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood (by Wayne Grudem, Bruce Ware, John Piper)

What’s the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible (by John Piper)

172: How Have So Many Christians Accidentally Become Feminist? with Courtney Reissig Oct 15, 2016

Show notes

Many Evangelical Christians have allowed modern movements to influence their ways of thinking, and even compromise their ability to stick to Biblical values. One such modern movement that has influenced Christians is the modern feminist movement.

In this episode, Kenny interviews author Courtney Reissig about God’s perfect design of the genders and the roles each gender ought to serve in terms of how the genders ought to interact and work together.

Courtney talks about how so many believers have allowed the feminist movement to influence their thinking when it comes to the topic of gender roles, instead of allowing the Scriptures to govern and inform their thinking in this arena. This has resulted in many Christians accidentally becoming feminists.

In the interview, Courtney clearly defines Biblical complementarianism and elaborates upon how that plays out in the church and in the home. Courtney also talks about what forms of female leadership and speaking are appropriate, and which forms are not appropriate. Ultimately, Courtney encourages us to delight in God’s good design.

Recommended

Get a copy of Courtney’s Book: The Accidental Feminist

Check out Courtney’s Website: www.courtneyreissig.com

Follow Courtney on Twitter: @courtneyreissig

Other Resources

Men and Women, Equal Yet Different (by Alexander Strauch)

The Meaning of Marriage (by Timothy Keller)

Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood (by Wayne Grudem, Bruce Ware, John Piper)

What’s the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible (by John Piper)

171: What is Complementarianism? Oct 14, 2016

Show notes

Complementarianism is the idea that men and women have different complementary roles within marriage and church leadership. In this episode, Kenny explains the concept and how it ought to play out.

Men and Women, Equal Yet Different (by Alexander Strauch)

Biblical Foundations for Manhood and Womanhood (by Wayne Grudem, Bruce Ware, John Piper)

170: Why Did Jesus Call John the Baptist the “Greatest”? Oct 05, 2016

Show notes

The Apostle Matthew records some interesting words for us, words that came from the mouth of Jesus praising his cousin and fellow rabbi John the Baptist.

“Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” (Matthew 11:11).

In response to these words, Kenny received an email question from a listeners asking why Jesus gave such high praise to John the Baptist. In this episode, Kenny answers this question, explaining John the Baptist’s role in the ministry of Jesus, and giving us insight into how this applies to believers today.

169: Why Wasn’t Jesus Named “Immanuel”? Oct 04, 2016

Show notes

The Old Testament prophet Isaiah declared that the Messiah would be born of a virgin and that He would be called “Immanuel” (see Isaiah 7:14). So with that in mind, why did Mary name her son “Jesus” instead of giving Him the name “Immanuel”?

In this episode, Kenny answers this question, and makes clear the meaning of the name Immanuel and its overall significance.

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