The City of God Podcast

Join Drs. Strachan and Kidd as they discuss life, theology, and politics.

Join Dr. Strachan as he interviews Oklahoma senator James Lankford on religious liberty.

Join Dr. Strachan as he interviews Oklahoma senator James Lankford on religious liberty.

The gospel-centered pastor is shaped by Christ and him crucified. What does it mean to be a gospel-centered pastor? It means that the pastoral office is itself created by the gospel. If there is no gospel the pastoral office ceases to exist. Pastoral ministry is not merely a intellectual or helping profession; pastoral ministry is a saving profession. The pastor needs to understand that he only holds his office because of the finished work of Jesus. Second, it also means that the gospel is what the pastor preaches; the gospel shapes the theology of the pastor. The gospel must be communicated to needy sinners. It is the means of salvation, entrance into the local church, and sanctification. The gospel cannot be exhausted. The gospel-centered pastor is shaped by Christ and him crucified. Lastly, when the character of the pastor is driven by the gospel of Christ then we can rightly be called “gospel-centered.”

The gospel-centered pastor is shaped by Christ and him crucified. What does it mean to be a gospel-centered pastor? It means that the pastoral office is itself created by the gospel. If there is no gospel the pastoral office ceases to exist. Pastoral ministry is not merely a intellectual or helping profession; pastoral ministry is a saving profession. The pastor needs to understand that he only holds his office because of the finished work of Jesus. Second, it also means that the gospel is what the pastor preaches; the gospel shapes the theology of the pastor. The gospel must be communicated to needy sinners. It is the means of salvation, entrance into the local church, and sanctification. The gospel cannot be exhausted. The gospel-centered pastor is shaped by Christ and him crucified. Lastly, when the character of the pastor is driven by the gospel of Christ then we can rightly be called “gospel-centered.”

Your eternal destiny is based on who you follow. Everybody wants to be a leader but no one wants to be a follower. Your eternal destiny is based on who you follow. Christian faith is following Christ. To be a leader in the church entails humility; Christian leaders need to be humble. In the church, we need to be a leadership factory but before we get there we need to learn to follow. Only when you follow are you ready to lead. Not Leadership Material? by Susan Cain

Your eternal destiny is based on who you follow. Everybody wants to be a leader but no one wants to be a follower. Your eternal destiny is based on who you follow. Christian faith is following Christ. To be a leader in the church entails humility; Christian leaders need to be humble. In the church, we need to be a leadership factory but before we get there we need to learn to follow. Only when you follow are you ready to lead. Not Leadership Material? by Susan Cain

The church must be a voice for maturity. Immaturity and irresponsibility is an issue now. We have lost the script for maturity today in society today. Many people do not know what it means to be an adult. This is a massive opportunity for Christians and churches to reach this generation and to exhibit what true maturity looks like. We want to promote  pathways to maturity by encouraging people to take responsibility for their lives. The church must be a voice for maturity. Millennials do not consider themselves ‘grown up’ until they are 27 by Camilla Turner

The church must be a voice for maturity. Immaturity and irresponsibility is an issue now. We have lost the script for maturity today in society today. Many people do not know what it means to be an adult. This is a massive opportunity for Christians and churches to reach this generation and to exhibit what true maturity looks like. We want to promote  pathways to maturity by encouraging people to take responsibility for their lives. The church must be a voice for maturity. Millennials do not consider themselves ‘grown up’ until they are 27 by Camilla Turner

If the church will hold out maturity as a good thing then it can launch a revolution of its own. Traditional masculine dressing emphasizes a certain look. As a society, we may have lost a sight of dressing up and fashion. But we want our boys to see that it is good to be mature and to dress like a man. For our purposes, we want boys to see that it is good to grow up, mature, and be a man. We want elders in the church to be modeling mature and godly manhood. We want men to model maturity and the maturity that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. If the church will hold out maturity as a good thing then it can launch a revolution of its own.   Dress Up: What We Lost in the Casual Revolution by G. Bruce Boyer

If the church will hold out maturity as a good thing then it can launch a revolution of its own. Traditional masculine dressing emphasizes a certain look. As a society, we may have lost a sight of dressing up and fashion. But we want our boys to see that it is good to be mature and to dress like a man. For our purposes, we want boys to see that it is good to grow up, mature, and be a man. We want elders in the church to be modeling mature and godly manhood. We want men to model maturity and the maturity that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ. If the church will hold out maturity as a good thing then it can launch a revolution of its own.   Dress Up: What We Lost in the Casual Revolution by G. Bruce Boyer

The church is a movement that is all about the great commission There is a great need for all leaders, especially Christian leaders, to know what they stand for and what they are after. The pastor needs to help show the congregation why it exists and what its mission is. The local church is relentlessly on mission to glorify Christ who is overwhelming the earth with his glory. The church is a movement that is all about the great commission. This is the reason we exist and if we forget this we will be drawn away to ideas and causes that do not profit. The church cannot fail to make clear that she exists solely for the glory of Christ.   Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes

The church is a movement that is all about the great commission There is a great need for all leaders, especially Christian leaders, to know what they stand for and what they are after. The pastor needs to help show the congregation why it exists and what its mission is. The local church is relentlessly on mission to glorify Christ who is overwhelming the earth with his glory. The church is a movement that is all about the great commission. This is the reason we exist and if we forget this we will be drawn away to ideas and causes that do not profit. The church cannot fail to make clear that she exists solely for the glory of Christ.   Shattered: Inside Hillary Clinton’s Doomed Campaign by Jonathan Allen and Amie Parnes

The Church as a whole today has to make clear that design is divine. Many youth are growing up in a world that has little vestiges in religious thought. Children are questioning the reality of human order and society itself. We are seeing that it may not be the case that humankind, cursed as it is by Adam’s fall, may not keep holding to the dictates of natural law. We are in open rebellion against God and his design. The Church will see a lot more of this in days ahead. The Church as a whole today has to make clear that design is divine. God has made the human body for his glory. A new generation may be trying to overthrow gender but we, as the church, need to show them that gender isn’t something to overthrow but to embrace. A New Generation Overthrows Gender by Jon Brooks

The Church as a whole today has to make clear that design is divine. Many youth are growing up in a world that has little vestiges in religious thought. Children are questioning the reality of human order and society itself. We are seeing that it may not be the case that humankind, cursed as it is by Adam’s fall, may not keep holding to the dictates of natural law. We are in open rebellion against God and his design. The Church will see a lot more of this in days ahead. The Church as a whole today has to make clear that design is divine. God has made the human body for his glory. A new generation may be trying to overthrow gender but we, as the church, need to show them that gender isn’t something to overthrow but to embrace. A New Generation Overthrows Gender by Jon Brooks