Life and Books and Everything

In this episode, Kevin is joined by Dr. James Newheiser, theDirector of the Christian Counseling Program and Associate Professor ofChristian Counseling and Pastoral Theology at RTS Charlotte. Attitudes towardabuse, both inside and outside the church, have changed dramatically withinrecent generations. How can pastors deal with this issue Biblically in theircongregations?  Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of WhatGod Has to Say About Our Bodies, by Sam Allberry.  In What God Has to Say about Our Bodies, Sam Allberry explains that all of us are fearfully and wonderfully made and should regard our physicality as a gift. He offers biblical guidance for living, including understanding gender, sexuality, and identity; dealing with aging, illness, and death; and considering the physical future hope that we have in Christ.  For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE. Timestamps:  What God Has to Say About Our Bodies [0:00 – 1:27]  Dr. James R. Newheiser, Jr. [1:27 – 7:01]  Talking About Abuse [7:01 – 12:31]  Defining Abuse [12:31 – 16:00]  Matthew 18 or Romans 13? [16:00 – 24:52]  Maxims That Try to Help but Cause More Hurt [24:52 – 27:03]  “Always believe the victim.” [27:03 – 32:14]  “If you feel abused, then you were abused.” [32:14 – 36:36]  “It’s never the victim’s fault.” [36:36 – 44:12]  Marital Separation [44:12 – 48:13]  Authority: Good and Bad [48:13 – 54:56]    Books and Everything:  What God Has to Say About Our Bodies, by Sam Allberry   When Words Matter Most: Speaking Truth with Grace to Those You Love, by Cheryl Marshall and Caroline Newheiser  

Catching up with friends after a long summer is one of the great joys of life. In this first episode of Season 4, Kevin, Collin, and Justin chat about some of their summer activities as well as some of the events that are currently happening in our world. They range from the serious (How should we pray for the Church in Afghanistan?) to the silly (Cornhole must become an Olympic sport!) You will discover some intriguing book recommendations too. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential, by Collin Hansen & Jonathan Leeman.   In Rediscover Church, Collin and Jonathan discuss why church is essential for believers and God’s mission. Through biblical references and personal stories, they show readers God’s true intention for corporate gathering: to spiritually strengthen members as individuals and the body of Christ. In an age of church-shopping and livestreamed services, rediscover why the future of the church relies on believers gathering regularly as the family of God.  In partnership with 9Marks and The Gospel Coalition, Crossway is planning to distribute 400,000 copies of Rediscover Church to Christians throughout the US and invites pastors and leaders to request 20 free print copies of the book (with free shipping) for use in their churches. Offer available while supplies last.  For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE. Timestamps:  Welcome Back [0:00 – 1:04]  20 Free Copies of Rediscover Church for Your Church [1:04 – 4:12]  Praying for the Church in Afghanistan [4:12 – 12:55]  Field of Dreams Game [12:55 – 21:55]  Olympics [21:55 – 32:01]  The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill [32:01 – 52:05]  Summer Book Report [52:05 – 1:07:09]    Books and Everything:  Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential, by Collin Hansen & Jonathan Leeman Collin: Churchill: Walking with Destiny, by Andrew Roberts  Reading the Times: A Literary and Theological Inquiry into the News, by JeffreyBilbro  Faithful Presence: The Promise and the Peril of Faith in the Public Square, byBill Haslam  Justin:   The Gospel according to Daniel: A Christ-Centered Approach, by Bryan Chappel  Daniel: An Introduction and Commentary (Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries), by Paul House  Hearing the Message of Daniel: Sustaining Faith in Today’s World, by Christopher J.H. Wright 

For this special Independence Day bonus episode, Kevin goes solo to talk about what America means and how Christians should relate to our nation. The most contentious debates that we currently have are about history, and we can’t agree on which story to tell about America. Kevin examines two books that approach this problem of America’s story differently. Are they incompatible? Which way do you take?  Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of The Supremacy of God in Preaching Revised and Expanded Edition by John Piper. John Piper pleads for preachers to make the supremacy of God the bracing air of their sermons. He longs to see a new generation of preachers, and a revived band of seasoned brothers, set aflame with the grandeur of God—his glory as the goal of preaching, his cross as the ground of preaching, his Spirit as the power of preaching. It is fitting that The Supremacy of God in Preaching now appears in hardcover for the first time. It has proven to be an enduring work through the decades. For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  Revised and Expanded Piper [0:00 – 1:22] What we disagree about is history. [1:22 – 6:52] Is there such a thing as an American? [6:52 – 10:58] Book 1: Covenant, Crucible, Creed [10:58 – 23:49] Book 2: Celebration and Criticism [23:49 – 30:57] 6 Quick Thoughts [30:57 – 46:47] Books and Everything:  After Nationalism: Being American in an Age of Division, by Samuel Goldman  Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, by Wilfred McClay  

In his new book, Lament for a Father: The Journey to Understanding and Forgiveness, Marvin Olasky, editor of WORLD Magazine , puts all his journalistic expertise and experience into uncovering the story of his father. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Recovering the Lost Art of Reading: A Quest for the True, the Good, and the Beautiful by Leland Ryken, Glenda Faye Mathes.  Reading has become a lost art. With smartphones offering us endless information with the tap of a finger, it’s hard to view reading as anything less than a tedious and outdated endeavor. This is particularly problematic for Christians, as many find it difficult to read even the Bible consistently and attentively. Reading is in desperate need of recovery.   Recovering the Lost Art of Reading addresses these issues by exploring the importance of reading in general as well as studying the Bible as literature, offering practical suggestions along the way. Leland Ryken and Glenda Faye Mathes inspire a new generation to overcome the notion that reading is a duty and instead discover it as a delight. For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  Do you want to hear about Abraham Lincoln? [0:00 – 1:13] The Perfect Sponsor Book for LBE [1:13 – 1:53] Marvin Olasky [1:53 – 5:05] WORLD Magazine [5:05 – 8:10] Lament for a Father [8:10 – 13:34] From Success to Failure [13:34 – 18:52] The Turning Point [18:52 – 24:08] The Mercy of Reticence [24:08 – 30:20] Mother’s Story [30:20 – 35:49] Iron-Clad Chain, Daisy Chain [35:49 – 41:52] Don’t Wait Until You’re Seventy [41:52 – 47:55] The Single Biggest Social Problem in America [47:55 – 50:41] Book Recommendations [50:41 – 53:25] Advice for Those with Bad or Good Fathers [53:25 - 56:30] Books and Everything:  Messages from My Father: A Memoir, by Calvin Trillin

When you consider the prospects for Christians right now, you might think they would be in despair. And you might be right. There is a lot of evidence that things are not going well. Kevin, Collin, and Justin look at several specific phenomena that would cause despair. And then they give us things that we can do now to move from that despair and into hope. Plus, there are some great book recommendations! Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Rejoice and Tremble: The Surprising Good News of the Fear of the Lord by Michael Reeves.  Rejoice and Tremble examines the difference between sinful and godly fear and corrects the negative perception of the fear of God. It is part of a series created in partnership with Union School of Theology to teach Christians to delight in God, grow in Christ, serve the church, and bless the world.   For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  Have you heard of Michael Reeves? [0:00 – 3:56]  Life & Football & Everything [3:56 – 7:22]  How’s COVID-19 going? [7:22 – 25:41]  Reasons for Current Earthly Despair [25:41 – 44:54]  Declining Fertility Rate  Declining Church Membership Rate   Cultural Institutions Aligned Against Christianity  The Speed of the Collapse  Race Relations Getting Worse   Now what do we do? [44:54 – 1:01:56]  Books & Everything [1:01:56 – 1:15:29]  Books and Everything:  Uprooted: Recovering the Legacy of the Places We've Left Behind, by GraceOlmstead   A Holy Baptism of Fire and Blood: The Bible and the American Civil War,by James Byrd   Churchill: Walking with Destiny, by Andrew Roberts   Surviving Religion 101, by Michael Kruger  The Life of John Murray, by Iain H. Murray   Survival and Resistance in Evangelical America: Christian Reconstruction in the Pacific Northwest, by Crawford Gribben   The Soul of Abraham Lincoln, by William Eleazar Barton  Gilead, by Marilyn Robinson  The Only Plane in the Sky: An Oral History of September 11, 2001, byGarrett M. Graff 

The only way we can move forward in the church is by going back to the Gospel. Journalism and education have become intrinsically destabilizing forces for Christianity, and anxiety is at an all-time high. Sarah Zylstra and Collin Hansen have written Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age to respond to this very problem. [Collin also hosts another podcast called Gospelbound). You will find encouragement and direction in this episode.   Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Ten Words to Live By: Delighting in and Doing What God Commands by Jen Wilkin, the Best-Selling Author of Women of the Word.  Ten Words to Live By teaches readers how the Ten Commandments come tobear on their lives today, helping them to love God and others, to live injoyful freedom, and to long for that future day when God will be rightlyworshiped for eternity. Ancient and timeless, these words cannot be overlooked.They serve as the rightful delight and daily meditation of those who call onthe name of the Lord.  For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  The Prescriptivists Lost [0:00 – 1:00]  The First Ever Female Guest on LBE [1:00 – 1:57]  The Sarah Zylstra Orbit [1:57 – 6:20]  Where Good Writers Come From [6:20 – 11:27]  In what sense is the Gospel “binding?” [11:27 – 14:18]  Where is all this anxiety coming from? [14:18 – 20:01]  The Media, Education, & Anxiety [20:01 – 27:35]  Why do we prefer to be anxious? [27:35 – 35:15]  Stories that Encourage [35:15 – 45:40]  The Danger of Nostalgia [45:40 – 53:56]  A Better Way [53:56 – 59:50]  Books and Everything:  Gospelbound: Living with Resolute Hope in an Anxious Age, by Sarah Zylstra  

There is much at stake in God making humanity male and female. Created for one another yet distinct from each other, a man and a woman are not interchangeable—they are designed to function according to a divine fittedness. But when this design is misunderstood, ignored, or abused, there are dire consequences.  Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Men andWomen in the Church: A Short, Biblical, Practical Introduction by Kevin DeYoung.   Men and women—in marriage especially, but in the rest of life as well—complement one another. And this biblical truth has enduring, cosmic significance. From start to finish, the biblical storyline—and the design of creation itself—depends upon the distinction between male and female. Men and Women in the Church is about the divinely designed complementarity of men and women as it applies to life in general and especially ministry in the church.  For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  Background of the Book in Question [0:00 – 6:01]  We’re more confused than ever. [6:01 – 18:11]  Critiquing the Thin Complementarians [18:11 – 36:21]  Critiquing the Thick Complementarians [36:21 – 48:44]  Stop Cherry-picking Examples [48:44 – 58:20]  The Publishing Conundrum [58:20 – 1:04:24]  

Kevin DeYoung podcasts solo this time to help us understand from a Biblical perspective the wickedness of the Atlanta shootings. He picks apart four threads that feed into how we measure culpability for heinous public crimes. And he helps us distinguish what should be condemned from what shouldn’t. And of course, there are books. Learn what books about race and other ideas Kevin has been reading.  Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of PracticingThankfulness: Cultivating a Grateful Heart in All Circumstances by Sam Crabtree.   Pastor Sam Crabtree surveys the Bible’s teaching on gratitude, demonstrating that every moment is an opportunity to observe, embrace, and appreciate with thankfulness the wondrous workings of God in ordinary life. Practicing Thankfulness includes 100 practical suggestions for practicing thankfulnessin daily life.  For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  How to Be More Thankful [0:00 – 0:55]  4 Preliminary Comments on the Atlanta Shootings [0:55 – 8:49]  On Culpability [8:49 – 25:28]  Distinguishing the Bad Ideas from the Good [25:28 – 30:57]  Is the church to blame for this man’s bad ideas? [30:57 – 36:25]  Bad Culpability Extrapolations [36:25 – 45:12]  Don’t let the bad outweigh the good. [45:12 – 47:11]  Books [47:11 - 57:33]   Books and Everything:  Reparations: A Christian Call for Repentance and Repair, by Duke L. Kwon &Gregory Thompson  More than Just Race: Being Black and Poor in the Inner City, by WilliamJulius Wilson  Race and Covenant: Recovering the Religious Roots for American Reconciliation,by Gerald R McDermott  American Awakening: Identity Politics and Other Afflictions of Our Time, byJoshua Mitchell  Slaying Leviathan: Limited Government and Resistance in the Christian Tradition,by Glenn S. Sunshine  A World Without Email: Reimagining Work in an Age of Communication Overload,by Cal Newport  

Dr. Miguel Núñez, Pastor for Preaching & Vision at IBI and President of Ministerios Integridad & Sabiduría, left his medical practice to follow his passion of preaching the Gospel. When COVID-19 broke out in 2020, he used his medical expertise to assess the situation for The Gospel Coalition. Now, one year later, he again offers his insights to you, along with a conversation about how the preaching of the Gospel is spreading in the Dominican Republic. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World by Brett McCracken.   Helping believers navigate today’s media-saturated culture, Brett McCracken presents a biblical case for wisdom. Inspired by the food pyramid model, The Wisdom Pyramid challenges us to increase our intake of enduring, trustworthy sources while moderating our consumption of less reliable sources.  For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  The Wisdom Pyramid [0:00 – 1:26]  March Madness & COVID-19 [1:26 – 4:05]  Introducing Dr. Miguel Núñez [4:05 – 6:01]  Revisiting COVID-19 a Year Later [6:01 – 10:59]  Why Developing Countries Handled COVID-19 Better [10:59 – 15:11]  Fear & Surprises [15:11 – 19:27]  What’s coming next? [19:27 – 22:20]  What COVID-19 Reveals About Our Spiritual Condition [22:20 – 27:24]  The Backstory of Dr. Miguel Núñez [27:24 – 33:17]  The Backstory of the Dominican Republic [33:17 – 43:47]  Influences in the Gospel Movement of the Dominican Republic [43:47 – 51:10]  The View of the U.S. Church from Latin America [51:10 – 59:48]  Americanos Hablando Español [59:48 – 1:04:20]  

Stephen J. Nichols is President of Reformation Bible College, Chief AcademicOfficer for Ligonier, and host of the 5 minutes in Church History podcast. He’s the co-editor of Crossway’s Theologians of the Christian Life series, and the reason he joins us for this episode is his new biography of R.C. Sproul. Life and Books and Everything is sponsored by Crossway, publisher of Journey to the Cross: A 40-Day Lenten Devotional by Paul David Tripp.   Best-selling author Paul David Tripp invites us to set aside time from the busyness of our lives to focus on the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus. Each of the short readings in Journey to the Cross encourages us to abide in the abundant joy found in Christ as we encounter the Savior more fully and follow him more faithfully during this Lenten season.  For 30% off this book and all other books and Bibles at Crossway, sign up for a free Crossway+ account at crossway.org/LBE.  Timestamps:  Recommended Devotional for Lent [0:00 – 1:17]  Not THAT Stephen Nichols [1:17 – 4:05]  Meeting R.C. Sproul [4:05 – 11:12]  Shaping Influences on R.C.: Pittsburg, Gerstner, Berkouwer, Vesta [11:12 – 16:57]  Gravity and Gladness [16:57 – 23:21]  Ligonier Valley Study Center [23:21 – 30:31]  The Big Break [30:31 – 36:56]  Controversies [36:56 – 39:31]  Jim Boice [39:31 – 42:44]  Evangelicals and Catholics Together [42:44 – 49:04]  Classical Apologetics [49:04 – 53:59]  Favorite Book of R.C. Sproul [53:59 – 56:13]  Quick Questions [56:13 – 1:06:49]  Books and Everything:  Journey to the Cross: A 40-Day Lenten Devotional, by Paul David Tripp  R.C. Sproul: A Life, by Stephen J. Nichols  The Holiness of God, by R.C. Sproul