Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley discuss the State of Theology survey, why it is so concerning, and what we can do next.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• What is the state of theology survey?
• What is an evangelical according to this survey?
• What is the Lifeway report?
• What is a common discipleship strategy used by churches?
• What is a roadblock to making disciples?
• What are some things that are concerning in the report?
• Why is it a problem that people don’t think the Holy Spirit is a person?
• How the difference between interpretation and orthodoxy?
• Why is this so concerning?
• What do we do?
• Do you have a definition of disciple?
• Why do scope and sequence matter?
• How does dissonance play a role in discipleship?
• Why do we believe so much in the Training the Church Ministry Cohort?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• 1 Corinthians 2, Genesis 3, Romans 5
• State of Theology Report
• Lifeway Pastors’ Views on Discipleship
• “Deep Discipleship” by JT English
• Deep Discipleship Curriculum
• Training the Church Ministry Cohort

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Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley discuss what predestination and election mean.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• Can you remember how you were introduced to these doctrines?
• What is reformed theology?
• What is predestination? What is election? Are they synonyms? 
• Where do we find them in scripture?
• What have been faithful approaches to these doctrines?
• Who do you disagree with on this, but you respect the way they articulate their view?
• What is determinism?
• What is the point? Why should we care about this?

Helpful Definitions:

• Predestination: God has ordained specific things to happen.
• Election: God administers His saving benefits and/or judgment.
• Pelagius: Man is not stained by sin; humanity is neutral before God.
• Augustine: Humans are dead in their sin and saved by grace.
• Arminianism: Humans are dead in their sin and allowed to choose saving grace.
• Determinism: God is so other than, there is no meaningful place for human agency. 
• Compatibilism: God directs our desires, and humans act in accordance with our desires.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Romans 9, Genesis 1-2, Genesis 12, Ephesians 1, Romans 5-6, Proverbs 16:9, Romans 8, John 6, Matthew 13, John 10
• Deep Discipleship Program
• Ligonier Ministries
• Renewing Your Mind
• Acts 29
• T4G
• “Let the Nations Be Glad!” by John Piper
• BFM 2000

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Our Sister Podcast:

Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley have a conversation about what happens to animals (and Jen’s pugs) when they die.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• What happens to animals when they die?
• How are humans and animals different?
• How does any creaturely thing make it into heaven?
• Are animals in need of redemption?
• Does the fall impact animals?
• Do animals have a soul?
• What is a soul? Do only humans have souls?
• How do we give the right level of importance to things that have breath?
• Will any animals be brought into the new heaven and the new earth?

Helpful Definitions:

• Psychosomatic Unity: Humans are unions of body and soul.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Training the Church Ministry Cohort

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Our Sister Podcast:

Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Season 16 of the Knowing Faith podcast begins on January 15th! In this episode, Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley give you a preview of what is to come in Season 16.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• What are we doing this season?
• What are some of the topics we will cover?
• How can I submit questions for you to cover?
• If you could put your cohost on the hotseat for any question, what would it be?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Apple Podcast Review
• Training the Church Patreon

Follow Us:
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Our Sister Podcast:

Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley answer questions submitted by listeners!

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• Can you talk to the value or lack thereof of being a credential holder in any particular fellowship or denomination? Are there any secondary beliefs your denomination holds that you don’t agree with?
• Why is it good that denominations have core confessions?
• Do you think there will be salt in the new heavens and the new earth since there is no sea or no tears?
• Jen, what is your favorite classical music?
• Can you share thoughts on what your church requires of members? How does your church handle discipline?
• I have heard that Old Testament prophecies have an immediate fulfillment and another fulfillment in the future. Can you explain that?
• Is any of the content in the Deep Discipleship Program in conflict with Lutheran beliefs? (or other denominations)
• After the episode on therapeutic language, I wonder if you are going to talk about the fascination with “New Age” practices?
• What is going on with Women’s Bible Study? How do you evaluate curriculum?
• Did Jesus ever make mistakes during his earthly life?
• Does Jesus display the imcommunicable attributes?
• Is the incarnation itself an accommodation?
• Did God the Father love the Son at the moment of the crucifixion?
• Do you have resources for the “false stories” you talk about on the podcast?
• What would you tell someone about tithing who is in deep debt?
• Should we as Christians celebrate the feasts given to Israel?
• How is orthodoxy determined? How do we explain differences among believers?
• Where would you start a scope & sequence for college students and young adults?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Deep Discipleship Program
• BFM 2000
• Westminster Confession
• Nicene Creed
• The Creed of Chalcedon
• Apostles Creed
• Handel’s Messiah
• Vivaldi The Four Seasons
• Knowing Faith: Has Therapeutic Language Invaded the Church?
• Jen Wilkin's Instagram Highlight of bible Study
• Knowing Faith: Does God have Emotions with Ronni Kurtz
• “Remember and Rehearse” by JT English
• “Formed for Fellowship” by Kyle Worley

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Our Sister Podcast:

Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley answer the question of whether a Christian can lose their salvation.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• Do Christians often struggle with this question?
• What are the things that can make us doubt salvation?
• What kind of encouragement do we give people when reading and evaluating the warning passages in Hebrews?
• Can Christians grow indifferent to the seriousness of sin?
• Is there a corporate nature to this, or are these warnings supposed to be personal?
• What is the current thought process in the church?
• If a faithful Christian comes to you and asks if it is possible for them to lose their salvation, how do you respond?

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Deep Discipleship Program
• Proverbs 31, Hebrews 2:1, Hebrews 6:4-8, Hebrews 10:26, John 8, Romans 5-8, Matthew 11:28-30, Matthew 16

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Our Sister Podcast:

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Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kyle Worley is joined by Samuel Bierig to answer the question, “What does Jesus have to do with Proverbs?”

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• What does Jesus have to do with Proverbs?
• Is it too simplistic to tell a Christian to just go do the things Proverbs says?

Guest Bio:

Samuel Bierig serves as Vice President of Undergraduate Studies, Dean of Spurgeon College, and Associate Professor of Biblical and Systematic Theology at Spurgeon College at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Sam serves as lead pastor at Gashland Baptist Church. Sam completed his Ph.D. in biblical theology at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he wrote his dissertation on hermeneutics and the interpretation of the book of Proverbs. He is happily married to Mallory, and they have four children: Abby, Levi, Owen, and Piper.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Proverbs 7
• “Proverbs: Walking in the Way of Christ” by Samuel Bierig

Follow Us:
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Our Sister Podcast:

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Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kyle Worley is joined by Matt Boswell to have a conversation about worship and hymns in the local church.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• Why should we value the congregational voice of the church?
• What’s the difference between a psalm? A hymn? And a spiritual song?
• Are hymns just old songs?
• What’s your favorite hymn? Why?
• What do you tell the person who says, “I don’t like the singing? Just give me some preaching.”
• How do you determine what songs you sing in your church?
• What’s your opinion on songs that emerge from churches or ministries where you’d disagree with the teaching of that ministry’s theology?
• Tell me about the Sing hymnal - why a new hymnal and why now?

Guest Bio:
Matt Boswell is a hymn-writer and pastor of The Trails Church in Celina, Texas. He also serves as Professor of Worship Ministries at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and leads Doxology & Theology, a ministry focused on corporate worship.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 1:15-20, Philippians 2:6-11, John 13:35
• Hark the Herald Angels Sing
• Be Thou my Vision
• “The Sing! Hymnal” by Keith Getty and Kristyn Getty

Follow Us:
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Our Sister Podcast:

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Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kyle Worley is joined by Geoff Chang to discuss how Charles Spurgeon would answer specific questions if he were alive today.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• What are your thoughts on artificial intelligence?
• What are your thoughts on gambling?
• What are your thoughts on recreational marijuana?

Guest Bio:

Geoff Chang serves as Associate Professor of Church History and Historical Theology and the Curator of the Spurgeon Library at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is a graduate of The University of Texas at Austin (B.B.A.), The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (M.Div.), and Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (Ph.D.), where he wrote his dissertation on Charles H. Spurgeon’s ecclesiology. 

He also serves the Book Review Editor for History & Historical Theology at Themelios, the academic journal for The Gospel Coalition. He is the volume editor of The Lost Sermons of C.H. Spurgeon Volumes 5, 6, and 7 and the author of Spurgeon the Pastor: Recovering a Biblical and Theological Vision for Ministry. He is married to Stephanie, and they have three children. You can follow him on Facebook and Twitter.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• “Lectures to My Students” by C H Spurgeon
• “Spurgeon the Pastor” by Geoffrey Chang

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Our Sister Podcast:

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Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

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You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

James Wood joins Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley to discuss the influence of Constantine on Christianity.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• Who was Constantine? What was his relationship to Christianity in the ancient world?
• Did he really convert?
• What are the Christians of this time thinking about Constantine?
• How does Monasticism replace martyrdom?
• Is there a protestant approach to living in the tension?
• What are the goods of Christendom?
• How does this history shape our understanding of the competing perspectives on church and state today?
• What are faithful Christian perspectives of church and state?
• How would you contrast pagan Christianity from the kind of public Christian witness you advocate for?
• Explain the subordination of the secular.

Guest Bio:
James Wood is Associate Professor of Religion and Theology at Redeemer University, a teaching elder in the PCA, a cohost of Mere Fidelity Podcast and the Civitas Podcast, and has written and writes for a number of publications, including Plough, Comment, First Things, World, and Theopolis, among others. He holds a PhD in Theology from the University of Toronto, a Th.M. from Princeton Theological Seminary, an M.Div. from Reformed Theological Seminary. He is married to Clare, and they have five daughters.

Helpful Definitions:

• Gelasian Dyarchy: The "two swords" doctrine.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Romans 13, 1 Peter 2, Revelation 13
• “Defending Constantine” by Peter Leithart
• “Christ & Culture Revisited” by D.A. Carson
• “The Desire of the Nations” by Oliver O'Donovan
• “Institutes of the Christian Religion” by John Calvin
• “The Politics of Pagan Christianity” by James Wood

Follow Us:
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Our Sister Podcast:

Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kyle Worley is joined by Don Whitney to answer the question, “How important is the local church and the Christian community to the journey of becoming more like Christ?”

Questions Covered in This Episode:

• How important is the local church and the Christian community to the journey of becoming more like Christ?

Helpful Definitions:

• Spiritual Disciplines: Practices found in the Bible by which we experience God and grow in Christlikeness.
• Fellowship: Koinónia (κοινωνία)

Guest Bio:

Don Whitney is the Professor of Biblical Spirituality and the John H. Powell Professor of Pastoral Ministry at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds a M.Div., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary; a D.Min., Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; and a Ph.D. in Theology from the University of the Free State, South Africa. He has authored several books, including but not limited to: Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life and Praying the Bible. Dr. Whitney also serves as the founder and president of The Center for Biblical Spirituality. Don lives with his wife Caffy in Kansas City, Missouri. The Whitneys have a married daughter, Laurelen, and five grandchildren.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

• Luke 4
• “Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life” by Donald S Whitney

Follow Us:
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Our Sister Podcast:

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Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.