The City of God Podcast

America has a problem: men. American society has a problem and its men. Men are encouraged today to take a back seat. You could say it this way: Manhood is the original sin of American cultural life. Our culture sees men as a major problem today and our young men are shamed for being men. We need to understand that our fundamental problem is not manhood but sin. Boys have about 1000% more testosterone than girls. Boys and girls are different. They are made in the image of God and yet God in his wisdom created something called manhood and womanhood. What our culture needs is a surging increase of strong men. We do not want to train our boys to be inferior. We need to train boys to be more Christ-like. We want to be very clear: men are not the problem, sin is.

What’s your recovery plan in 2017 for 2016? Remember that a sense of humor is a terrible thing to waste. We have to recognize that as believers we have a serious disposition; your purpose is to make Christ known. But God has also given us a sense of humor. He has given us the ability to laugh and not take ourselves so seriously. Remember that as believers we don’t live in a constant state of paranoia. A lot of us are falling prey to the view that current events are surely tanking all of Western civilization. Sin is real, all humans are depraved, and this fallen world is cursed. But we need to recognize that God is a greater reality to us than death, sin, evil, and hell. Jesus came to undue the works of darkness. When we live in anxiety, we sin against God. So, believers want to be a anti-paranoid culture in a fallen world. Enjoy life, drink some delicious coffee, and have a laugh at yourself. A good, God-given life is a terrible thing to waste.

What’s your recovery plan in 2017 for 2016? Remember that a sense of humor is a terrible thing to waste. We have to recognize that as believers we have a serious disposition; your purpose is to make Christ known. But God has also given us a sense of humor. He has given us the ability to laugh and not take ourselves so seriously. Remember that as believers we don’t live in a constant state of paranoia. A lot of us are falling prey to the view that current events are surely tanking all of Western civilization. Sin is real, all humans are depraved, and this fallen world is cursed. But we need to recognize that God is a greater reality to us than death, sin, evil, and hell. Jesus came to undue the works of darkness. When we live in anxiety, we sin against God. So, believers want to be a anti-paranoid culture in a fallen world. Enjoy life, drink some delicious coffee, and have a laugh at yourself. A good, God-given life is a terrible thing to waste.

Here are four trends that Christians should keep an eye on in 2017: The role of transgender identity in public The continuing battle over religious liberty in society The role of the church in politics The ongoing debate of the sufficiency of Scripture in evangelicalism

Here are four trends that Christians should keep an eye on in 2017: The role of transgender identity in public The continuing battle over religious liberty in society The role of the church in politics The ongoing debate of the sufficiency of Scripture in evangelicalism

What do I read once I have read the top three recommended books of the CPT? Here are the honorable mention books. Douglas MacArthur: American Warrior by Arthur Herman No More Champagne: Churchill and His Money by David Lough Progressive Covenantalism: Charting a Course Between Dispensational and Covenant Theologies edited by Stephen Wellum and Brent Parker For the Glory: Eric Liddell’s Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr by Duncan Hamilton

What do I read once I have read the top three recommended books of the CPT? Here are the honorable mention books. Douglas MacArthur: American Warrior by Arthur Herman No More Champagne: Churchill and His Money by David Lough Progressive Covenantalism: Charting a Course Between Dispensational and Covenant Theologies edited by Stephen Wellum and Brent Parker For the Glory: Eric Liddell’s Journey from Olympic Champion to Modern Martyr by Duncan Hamilton

What’s the best book that you read this year? Here are our books of the year. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi The Kingdom of Speech by Tom Wolfe Fools, Frauds and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left by Roger Scruton

What’s the best book that you read this year? Here are our books of the year. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi The Kingdom of Speech by Tom Wolfe Fools, Frauds and Firebrands: Thinkers of the New Left by Roger Scruton

Christmas is about happiness. In truth, for Christians Christmas as a holiday signals that we are a happy people. It is a sign for all that we have to be thankful for. We are not cynical or snarky; we are merry. Christians should represent themselves as a happy people. We don’t look at the world as if God has withheld good graces. We have a cosmic, eternal thanksgiving to give to God. Christmas reminds us to be happy once more and we want people to see joy demonstrated in the Christian life. We want to joy-ify the world. Christmas is also a theological reality. Christmas is not about gifts and family; it is a theological reality where we celebrate the virgin birth and the incarnation of Christ Jesus our Lord. For some reason our politically correct culture thinks that saying “Merry Christmas” is to use profane speech. People feel a hitch in their spirit not for vulgarity but for saying “Merry Christmas!” Christians should never feel shame in this.

Christmas is about happiness. In truth, for Christians Christmas as a holiday signals that we are a happy people. It is a sign for all that we have to be thankful for. We are not cynical or snarky; we are merry. Christians should represent themselves as a happy people. We don’t look at the world as if God has withheld good graces. We have a cosmic, eternal thanksgiving to give to God. Christmas reminds us to be happy once more and we want people to see joy demonstrated in the Christian life. We want to joy-ify the world. Christmas is also a theological reality. Christmas is not about gifts and family; it is a theological reality where we celebrate the virgin birth and the incarnation of Christ Jesus our Lord. For some reason our politically correct culture thinks that saying “Merry Christmas” is to use profane speech. People feel a hitch in their spirit not for vulgarity but for saying “Merry Christmas!” Christians should never feel shame in this.

The pleasures of poetry are subversive and perhaps always have been. Poetry is not fundamentally necessary. Poetry is a privilege; it is the result of the desire in mankind to make beauty with language. Poetry is part of a beautiful world; it does not exist in a mechanistic system of atoms, chance, and randomness. But if God created the cosmos then we have a reason for poetry. As Christians, we have great reason for appreciating poetry since a large part of the Scriptures are God-breathed poetry. Why Bother with Poetry? by A.E. Stallings

The pleasures of poetry are subversive and perhaps always have been. Poetry is not fundamentally necessary. Poetry is a privilege; it is the result of the desire in mankind to make beauty with language. Poetry is part of a beautiful world; it does not exist in a mechanistic system of atoms, chance, and randomness. But if God created the cosmos then we have a reason for poetry. As Christians, we have great reason for appreciating poetry since a large part of the Scriptures are God-breathed poetry. Why Bother with Poetry? by A.E. Stallings

Heroes are not dead. If we will only turn to the pages of history, we will see that in history heroes are very much alive. Never give in. Never, never, never…Never yield to apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. — Winston Churchill Why should we pay attention to Winston Churchill? First, Churchill gives leaders a model of perseverance. In the 1930’s, he found himself in the political wilderness and continued to call for war against Hitler. Secondly, he gives leaders a model of courage. He never failed to speak up for his convictions. Even while being a passionate, convictional leader, Churchill could disagree vehemently and then go out to a good meal and have a civil friendship with those he disagreed with. Thirdly, he reminds us for the need for statesmen in the ecclesial realm. He was willing for stand for what was good, true, and right. We need those who will lead and lead courageously. The Last Lion by William Manchester

Heroes are not dead. If we will only turn to the pages of history, we will see that in history heroes are very much alive. Never give in. Never, never, never…Never yield to apparently overwhelming might of the enemy. — Winston Churchill Why should we pay attention to Winston Churchill? First, Churchill gives leaders a model of perseverance. In the 1930’s, he found himself in the political wilderness and continued to call for war against Hitler. Secondly, he gives leaders a model of courage. He never failed to speak up for his convictions. Even while being a passionate, convictional leader, Churchill could disagree vehemently and then go out to a good meal and have a civil friendship with those he disagreed with. Thirdly, he reminds us for the need for statesmen in the ecclesial realm. He was willing for stand for what was good, true, and right. We need those who will lead and lead courageously. The Last Lion by William Manchester