Christ Over All

A long-form reading explores failures in denominational leadership, trustee systems, and financial stewardship. It outlines three reforms for rebuilding trust: humble leaders, accountable trustees, and structural reorganization. The conversation examines why pastors leave and how smaller, faith-aligned cooperative units might renew missions and relationships.

ABOUT THE EPISODEListen in as David Schrock and Stephen Wellum interview SBC Presidential Candidate Willy Rice.Timestamps00:51 – Intro05:08 – Why Willy Rice Has Sought the Presidency of the SBC06:57 – What Changed Willy Rice’s Perspective10:07 – Insiders and Outsiders14:30 – The Breakdown and Regaining of Trust18:46 – Where are the Places for Communication?21:51 – What Can the Trustees Be Doing to Help?25:08 – Willy Rice’s Assessment of the Trustees29:04 – The Baptist Courier30:22 – Being Transparent35:12 – The State of DEI and Resolution 9 in the SBC43:46 – What Place Does the ERLC Have in the SBC?46:23 – What Kind of Leaders Do We Need in the SBC?49:22 – What’s the Receptivity to Willy’s Message53:23 – Seven Pillars for Baptist Renewal56:36 – Outro Resources to ClickTheme of the Month: Can the Center Hold? The Southern Baptist Convention in the 21st CenturyGive to Support the Work

ABOUT THE EPISODEListen in as David Schrock and Stephen Wellum interview SBC Presidential Candidate Josh Powell.Timestamps00:46 – Intro06:07 – Why Josh Powell Wants to Be SBC President13:52 – What are Some of the Biggest Things the SBC Has?16:17 – Concrete Ways of Moving Forward without a Credentials Committee22:07 – The Issue of Loss of Trust and How to Regain It26:47 – What Kind of Influence Does Josh Powell Have to Make the SBC Stronger?30:30 – The Baptist Courier31:50 – Navigating the Question of Wokeness39:26 – Confessing Where We Were Wrong43:00 – What Lessons Can We Learn from The Sex Abuse Task Force48:44 – Is There a Way for Leaders to Say They Were Wrong on This?52:15 – What Kind of Leaders Would Best Serve the SBC?56:07 – The ERLC: It’s Ideal Mission, Identity, and Leadership59:39 – Where You Can Learn More about Josh Powell1:01:08 – OutroResources to ClickTheme of the Month: Can the Center Hold? The Southern Baptist Convention in the 21st CenturyGive to Support the WorkBooks to ReadThe Unprotected Class: How Anti-White Racism is Tearing America Apart – Jeremy Carl

Brad Green, scholar and teacher who writes on theology and culture, and Mark Coppenger, pastor and longtime SBC leader and professor, join David Schrock. They discuss reasons to be thankful for the SBC and areas of concern. Conversations touch on leadership needs, the sex-abuse crisis, institutional drift and how churches steward land and influence. Short, candid reflections on reform and future directions.

ABOUT THE EPISODEJoin David Schrock and Stephen Wellum as they interview SBC President Clint Pressley on the current state of the SBC.Timestamps· 01:00 – Intro· 05:28 – What is Clint Pressley as SBC President,Doing Throughout the Year?· 09:14 – What’s Been Some Encouragements andChallenges That He’s Seen?· 11:25 – Is There a Way for the ERLC to be Usefulto the SBC?· 12:56 – What Counsel Would Dr. Wellum Give tothe Next President about the ERLC?· 15:28 – How Is Clint Pressley Thinking about theAbortion Issue?· 20:15 – What State is Lifeway In?· 23:18 – The Baptist Courier· 24:40 – The Executive Committee· 28:18 – The Law Amendment· 30:24 – Filling the Credentials Committee· 32:02 – The Challenges of Cooperating Together· 34:22 – Do Our Seminaries Teach Good BaptistEcclesiology?· 37:28 – How Should the SBC Think about Lawsuits?· 39:21 - Financial Transparency· 42:03 – Are There Things that Would be Helpful to Update the Convention?· 46:27 – What Should Someone Be Doing to Help the Convention?· 47:55 – What are some things Clint Pressley is Praying and Hoping for This Year?· 48:53 – How Our Theme for COA This Month Can be Helpful· 50:20 - Outro Resources to Click· Theme of the Month: Can the Center Hold? The Southern Baptist Convention in the 21st CenturyGiveto Support the Work

They survey what makes the Southern Baptist Convention worth appreciating and why reform is also urgent. They trace doctrinal, legal, and governance strains that have shaken trust. They use ecological metaphors to diagnose recent harms like abuse fallout, cultural accommodation, and governance shifts. They highlight missions, seminaries, and evangelistic legacy while urging stewardship and repair.

ABOUT THE EPISODEListen in as David Schrock and Brad Green interview Stephen Wellum on his COA Longform, "Reflections on the Retrieval of Classical Theism in Evangelical Theology"Timestamps00:41 – Intro04:45 – What is Classical Theism and How Do We Define That Term?07:55 – The Development of the Doctrine of the Trinity11:54 – The Neo Calvinists to Modern Evangelicalism15:33 – Brad Green’s Time at Southern and Influence of Augustine18:20 – It Matters Who You You’re Influenced By24:19 – Social Trinitarianism29:34 –Psychological and Philosophical Traditions & Influences33:34 – The Economical and Ontological Trinity36:07 – The Distinction Between God Himself and God in the World42:06 – Eternal Functional Subordination51:31 – How Did Augustine Help Brad Green When Thinking Through EFS?55:21 – The Divine Ordering1:00:56 – Aquinas and The Doctrine of God1:05:43 – Dr. Brad Green’s Life Update1:06:52 – OutroResources to Click“Reflections on the Retrieval of Classical Theism in Evangelical Theology” – Stephen J. Wellum“Does Complementarianism Depend on ERAS?: A Response to Kevin Giles, “The Trinity Argument for Women’s Subordination” – Stephen J. WellumTheme of the Month: The God Who Is There: Contemplating the Doctrine of GodGive to Support the WorkBooks to ReadSystematic Theology: From Canon to Concept, Vol. 1 – Stephen J. WellumReformed Dogmatics – Herman BavinckReformed Dogmatics – Geerhardus VosChristianity and Liberalism – J. Gresham MachenEternal God: A Study of God Without Time – Paul HelmThe Openness of God – Clark PinnockNicaea and its Legacy: An Approach to Fourth-Century Trinitarian Theology – Lewis AyresPost-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics – Richard MullerThe Holy Trinity: In Scripture, History Theology, and Worship – Robert Letham

ABOUT THE EPISODESometimes an old compass is all you need to make it back home, and so it is with the church’s Nicene doctrine of God.Resources to Click· “Reflections on the Retrieval of Classical Theism in Evangelical Theology” – Stephen J. Wellum· “Does Complementarianism Depend on ERAS?: A Response to Kevin Giles, “The Trinity Argument for Women’s Subordination” – Stephen J. Wellum· Theme of the Month: The God Who Is There: Contemplating the Doctrine of God· Give to Support the Work Books to Read· Systematic Theology: From Canon to Concept, Vol. 1 – Stephen J. Wellum· Reformed Dogmatics – Herman Bavinck· Reformed Dogmatics – Geerhardus Vos· Christianity and Liberalism – J. Gresham Machen· Eternal God: A Study of God Without Time – Paul Helm· The Openness of God – Clark Pinnock· Nicaea and its Legacy: An Approach to Fourth-Century Trinitarian Theology – Lewis Ayres· Post-Reformation Reformed Dogmatics – Richard Muller

ABOUT THE EPISODEListen in as David Schrock & Stephen Wellum interview Kyle Claunch on his COA Longform Essay, "Axioms of Theology Proper: Guiding Lights for the Doctrine of God"Timestamps00:35 – Intro03:40 – How Did Dr. Claunch’s Interest for the Doctrine of God Begin to Grow?07:25 – What Were Some of the Things Moving in Academia Towards a Retrieval of Classical Theism?13:28 – Retrieving While Not Throwing out the Baby with the Bathwater19:42 – Axiom 1: The Doctrine of Creation from Ex Nihilo22:36 – How Important is the Order to the Axioms?24:43 – Axioms 2&3: Supreme Goodness, Immanence & Negation29:00 – The Perfections and Imperfections in Humanity in Creation33:30 – Axiom 5 and Analogical Speech37:57 – Wrong Ways of Analogical Speech Leads to Wrong Thinking on the Doctrine of God42:11 – Axioms 6, 7, & 8: God’s Attributes50:13 – What Attribute Is Hardest to Grasp for Students?55:54 – Axioms 9 & 10: Our God is Triune59:42 – God’s Attributes Only Make Sense With His Triune Nature1:06:10 – Outro Resources to Click“Axioms of Theology Proper: Guiding Lights for the Doctrine of God” – Kyle Claunch“God the Father: Namesake of all Fatherhood” – Kyle Claunch“Why are We Trinitarian, and Why Does it Matter?” – Kyle ClaunchTheme of the Month: The God Who Is There: Contemplating the Doctrine of GodGive to Support the Work Books to ReadSumma Theologiae (Vol. 1) – Thomas AquinasDictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology, 2nd ed. – Richard A. MullerProslogion in Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works – ed. Brian Davies and G.R. EvansInstitutes of Eclenctic Theology – Francis Turretin ed. James T. Dennison, Jr.Orations – Gregory of Nazianzus

ABOUT THE EPISODE:Who is God and what is he like? Take off your sandals and follow the light as we seek to comprehend the incomprehensible!Resources to Click·  “Axioms of Theology Proper: Guiding Lights for the Doctrine of God” – Kyle Claunch· “God the Father: Namesake of all Fatherhood” – Kyle Claunch· “Why are We Trinitarian, and Why Does it Matter?” – Kyle Claunch· Theme of the Month: The God Who Is There: Contemplating the Doctrine of God· Give to Support the Work Books to Read·  Summa Theologiae (Vol. 1) – Thomas Aquinas· Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology, 2nd ed. – Richard A. Muller· Proslogion in Anselm of Canterbury: The Major Works – ed. Brian Davies and G.R. Evans· Institutes of Eclenctic Theology – Francis Turretin ed. James T. Dennison, Jr.· Orations – Gregory of Nazianzus