Theology For the Rest of Us | Quick Answers to the Questions About God and the Bible

Quite frequently, younger Christians ask whether or not it is wrong or sinful to listen to secular music. In this episode, Kenny makes it clear that no, it is not necessarily sinful, but that music can influence us in a grand fashion and therefore we ought to be cautious with our music selection. Kenny highlights the power and impact music has on our lives, minds, emotions and souls. With that in mind, we ought to be strategic in utilizing music to cultivate our intimacy with Christ. Recommended "Secular vs. Sacred" Chapel Lecture by LeCrae at Liberty University  

There are many people who believe, and publicly assert, that Christians are "obligated" to vote in order to influence the direction of our government. In this episode, Kenny makes clear his profound appreciation for his right to vote as an American, but highlights the logical flaw in claiming that any person is ever obligated to vote.

Some people have asked, "Are there any books, letters, or writings that were inspired by God that about to be in the Bible but, for some reason or another, was left out of the Bible by the early Christians? In this episode, Kenny gives an answer that will be somewhat surprising to some listeners, pointing out that there is some evidence that at least one divinely inspired letter written by the Apostle Paul wasn't included in the New Testament.

In this episode, Kenny addresses a point brought to him by a regular listener about the completion of the New Testament, the authenticity of the Biblical narratives, and the completeness (or wholeness) of the essence of the Gospel message, as well as the related theological elements and doctrinal components. Basically, how do we know that the message of the Gospel that we preach today is actually indeed the whole Gospel message that Jesus preached? How do we know that the early church didn't leave anything out (whether intentionally or maliciously)? Recommended Resources The Historical Jesus (by Gary R. Habermas) The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus (by Gary R. Habermas & MIchael Licona) Christian Origins and the Question of God (4-Book Series) (by NT Wright)

Many people have faced the choice: Which church should my family and I attend? When we are faced with this question, there are many elements that impact and influence our decision. In this episode, Kenny explains how doctrine should be one of those elements that greatly impact our decision as to which church we choose to attend and worship at, however more importantly, Kenny asserts and explains how the faithful preaching of the Word of God ought to be the highest priority when selecting a church. Resources Relevant Magazine Article About What People Are Looking For in Church

In this episode, Kenny answers the question: Is it wrong to want to be God's favorite person? Kenny answers this question by examining the words of Jesus in Mark 10 when James and John asked Jesus to allow them to sit next to Him at God's table in heaven.

Halloween has been a popular, and overly commercialized, pseudo-holiday in the United States for more than a century. But many Christians have protested the tradition, claiming the pseudo-demonic nature of Halloween, as well as its pagan roots, makes it something Christians ought to abstain from participating in. Is abstinence the best approach? Should Christians participate in any Halloween festivities or not? In this episode, Kenny answers this question directly by pointing out that there are many different viable approaches to cultural traditions such as Halloween. Kenny also makes clear that his own approach is to use these sorts of events and traditions as an opportunity to prayerfully and intentionally penetrate the culture with Gospel-centered and redemptive purposes. Recommended Thoughts on Halloween from John Piper Open the Door to Halloween (article by Jonathan Parnell)

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. Check Out the "Too Good to Be True" Facebook Page Get a Copy of the Book on Amazon Follow Ricky Jones on Twitter: @revrickydean Connect with Ricky Jones on Facebook Check out Ricky Jones' Sermons on www.sermonaudio.com

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. Recommended The Accidental Feminist (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)

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.

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.

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 Recommended The Accidental Feminist: Restoring Our Delight in God's Good Design (by Courtney Reissig) Men and Women, Equal Yet Different (by Alexander Strauch) 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)

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. Additional Reading Is Galatians 3:28 An Egalitarian Text? 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)

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)

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. Recommended 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)