Mortification Of Spin

Does anyone wear black to a funeral anymore? Seems increasingly common to have "celebrations of life" in lieu of funerals. As Christians, we mourn but not as those without hope, but that's just it, we do and should mourn our losses. So why is grief displaced with "happiness", as if we were throwing a party? And is this happiness genuine or are we genuinely in denial that something legitimately sad has happened? Beware Church, you may be sending mixed messages with these "celebrations". Just how difficult is a pastor's job made by all this confusion? To help us consider it, we have a Scotsman who weaseled his way into the recording studio after trading in his kilt for some urban slims.Donate to Mortification of Spinvar r_protocol=(("https:"==document.location.protocol)?"https://":"http://");var r_path="https://www.razoo.com/javascripts/widget_loader.js";var r_identifier='Mortification-Of-Spin';document.write(unescape("%3Cscript id='razoo_widget_loader_script' src='"+r_path+"' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/scrip

"We live with an odd mix of immature people incapable of adult responsibility and yet full of extreme self-confidence,” said an English menace. But perhaps Carl is onto something - what of this Neverland with its abundance of "Lost Boys"? Not surprisingly, women complain of immaturity in the opposite sex, but they themselves aren’t spared this epidemic.What makes us mature adults? Maybe saying "I do" or buying a mini-van? Not really. In today's culture, there’s a restless, sexualized childishness - an endless adolescence, and we want to know who (or what!) is to blame! Carl, Aimee, & Todd have their theories…The Alliance has a few of copies of "Juvenescence" by Robert Harrison that we are giving away. Sign up for your chance to win.

It's not Reformation Day anymore but we are still a-buzz about Luther and more specifically, the Biblica Germanica. Our Spin bookworms gawk over its beautiful calligraphy and the black and white illustrations, which Todd mistakenly took for coloring pages ... we knew better than to let him bring his crayons. It's another chance to discuss God's providential work through Martin Luther, a man so instrumental in bringing the Word of God to the common layperson of his day.Find out more about Biblica Germanica from the publisher, Hendrickson Publishers.

It's difficult finding the right thing to say to those in mourning - we clumsily fumble over our words, say nothing, or utter the worst possible thing at the worst possible time. Whatever our experience, we could all use help ministering better to those suffering loss - in particular, the loss of an unborn child.To help us today is Matthew Eusey, Pastor of Trinity Church Central Oahu, and his wife, Karyn.The Euseys share about the loss of their son and what it was like at the receiving end of people's best efforts to help them through their grief. In a few words, they give voice to a darkness so often kept private. Their story is a humbling, sincere account of awaiting the resurrection while honoring the little life God fashioned and took so quickly. It's hard making sense of such a sadness, but Karyn said it best: “There is no silver lining in this … but Christ.”The Alliance has a bunch of copies of "Holding Onto Hope" by Nancy Guthrie that we are giving away. Congratulations to the give away winners:Nicole

Reformation Day has come and gone so naturally we talk about Martin Luther. He's no Halloween has-been, so we thought: "Better get a legit Church Historian and Luther extraordinaire on today's show!" Unfortunately Roland Bainton left the stage in '84 and Robert Kolb would rather be on The White Horse Inn, so no one really knowledgeable on the subject was available ... so we asked Carl Trueman. Carl takes a stab answering questions about the medieval agenda, what church laity gained from Luther's mission, and Luther's lasting impressions on preaching after the reformation. Grab your candy corn, it's gonna be an earful!The Alliance has several copies of "Luther on the Christian Life: Cross & Freedom" by Carl Trueman that we are giving away:Congratulations to:John K., Aurora, COJames M., Williamston, SCWesley G., Gastonia, NCJennifer B., West Chester, OHJeff O., Milwaukee, WI 

Simonetta Carr has authored numerous (and superb!) children’s books. It’s our honor to have her on the show today, and it won’t take you long to figure out she ain’t from around here. Originally hailing from lovely Italy, she now lives in sunny Cali - trading one vineyard for another. It does seem all the more fitting she’d write a book on Michelangelo, contender for the Renaissance Man title and a native Italian himself! Simonetta calls us to question: why should reformed protestants know (or even care) about Michelangelo and the Renaissance, and why should our children learn about them, too? Her book will broaden our view of the reformation as well as an appreciation for the arts and the beauty therein. But … what about all the renaissance nudity?! Don't shield your eyes … it’s a bit of Art Appreciation meets Survey of Art History on Mortification of Spin today, so trade your pen for a paintbrush and tap into your inner artist.The Alliance has several copies of "Michelangelo for Kids: His Life and Ideas" by

Happy 10th anniversary to the Young Restless & Reformed! To those unfamiliar with YRR, we aren't marking the anniversary of a soap opera, (though, it's had its fair share of drama!). The YRR, or New Calvinism, is a movement that gained momentum in the late 90's when many grew restless within the Emerging Church. They wanted something more solid on which to stand: doctrine! And so they turned to the theological treasure trove of the olden days. For some it's a revolutionary resurgence of discovery and Biblical understanding, while to others, it's simply review. However good this movement from Emergent to Edwards is, it comes with its criticisms and concerns. Ten years strong and the verdict's still out: Have the Young Restless & Reformed strengthened the Church?

Let’s talk ministerial burnout! It’s a relevant topic at the end of another marathon recording day as we squeeze our hosts for onnnnne more episode. Poor Todd, red-eyed and against his fragile will, did not leave the studio despite his many threats to do so. Just a Diva trapped inside a pipe-smoker’s body. In all seriousness, ministerial burnout can be lurking in the pulpit or present in the pew more often than we realize. The stats are alarming which demand we ask: Do we encourage those who shepherd us? Do we pray often (or even at all!) for them? Are our elders consumed by responsibilities or healthy and happy in their service? Free StuffWe are giving away copies of Christopher Ash's book "Zeal Without Burnout" this week! Click here to enter to win a copy!

As you may know, our hosts are avid readers. But what you don't know may surprise you ... Carl enjoys snuggling up to a good comic & Todd's keen on the Scratch and sniff, pop-up variety but Aimee's leaps and bounds ahead of the boys with the more mature palette, devouring her fair share of Seventeen magazine. Our shining examples of readers beg the question: why read? Outside of studying the Bible, should reading be considered a godly discipline? Should Christians read poetry? Novels? Or only biographies and ... Harry Potter? 

Wesley Smith, lawyer and an award winning author, recognized as an expert thinker in the field of bioengineering and a "Great Defender of Life" for his work against assisted suicide and euthanasia, joins us today as we bask in the glories of the one-star Best Western conference room. Wesley is calling in from Cali - how fortunate he should be deprived the novelties of weak coffee and Todd's disgruntled face as he eats another day-old donut. Of course, the trials we face here pale in comparison with today's topic. Wesley bears much knowledge on bioethics, a field of study that tests the ethics and philosophical implications of medical practices and procedures. With the sanctity of life increasingly questioned, "do-harm medicine" is growing in practice. We live in a backwards world where death is more valued than life, and the disabled not worthy of all the medical efforts. Don't be surprised to find yourself catching your jaw during this one!Links:"The Whispers Of Strangers" by Wesley Smith The Patients Rights

In Reformed Theology, we hold firm to the tradition of true doctrine - we believe it's invaluable to aiding an understanding of our faith and more importantly we believe scripture to be the supreme and normative source of what we believe. Yet why are so many evangelicals leery of combining the words: 'tradition' and 'true doctrine'? In the end, they help define divine realities, and more importantly, lend accurate descriptions of God. Maybe more alarming is not the lay person who misunderstands traditional doctrine, but those who don't preach it from the pulpit or teach it from the lectern. It's necessary that the Church connect scripture to the traditional doctrinal statements lest she get swept away by every wind of novel doctrine.The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to offer you a free MP3 download entitled "The Developing Tradition: From the Reformation Until Now". Discount is applied at checkout.

Name 10 ways to destroy your child’s imagination. Ok, we'll give you 5 to start: 1. Mechanize your kid, 2. pad their resume, 3. send them to Yale, 4. stifle their natural talents and, if you do nothing else, 5. deter any natural tendency to admire God's vast creation. This is but a taste of the (outlandish?) commentary to expect from Dr. Anthony Esolen, professor of English at Providence College and author of Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child. To those of us glued to our screens or whose suffocated imaginations are inhibited by too many distractions, Dr. Esolen is a breath of fresh air.The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to offer you a free MP3 download entitled "Children and Parents". Discount is applied at checkout.The Moral Structure of Pedophilia by Anthony EsolenFox News Anchors Stunned - Punked By Guest?  

Today we have Rusty Reno on the line for a special XL Bully Pulpit. Rusty is editor of First Things Magazine, formerly taught theology and ethics at Creighton University, and has authored many theological books of which one is a topic of today's conversation: Resurrecting the Idea of a Christian Society. We are worlds away from the Garden and in the wake of that fateful bite we now navigate amongst many evils. So can we go back to the Garden? What lasting influence do we bring to bear on our pagan societies? Rusty shares quotable insights to sharpen our perspective on these (and many more) questions any Christian should be asking.The Alliance has a copy of Rusty Reno's book entitled Resurrecting the Idea of a Christian Society that we are giving away, enter for your chance to win!

We're here again with our boy, Max “Rambouski” Benfer. Strangely he always finds our secret bunker! Despite our better judgment, we let him appear on the show … (what can we say, we feel bad for the guy!). He's had quite a colorful past and in his previous life, Max served in men’s ministry - basically calling men to set up camp in Neverland and play in the dirt. In all seriousness, what is men's ministry supposed to look like and what makes it successful? If ministering to the men-folk looks like a pack of Tarzans in the woods while "Jane" stays home, it's time we reconsider our strategy.Please make a donation to the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals so we can continue producing Mortification of Spin. When you donate, please select the category Mortification of Spin so that your gift is designated to the correct ministry. Thank you for your support.

Are all things being redeemed … even Pokemon Go?! C'mon. We're handing out our very last Desperate Theology award and we hope the winner will take it in stride! In light of Pokemon, Carl, Aimee, and Todd sit down to talk "Hyperreality", that is, the reality that isn't. We live in a world increasingly fixated on what's fabricated. Screens have gripped our eyes and crippled the imagination. "It’s all crap and it’s destroying our souls," says one no-name Englishman. So what is reality and why do we shy away from it? You'd think it's an obvious answer, but how often do we function far from the natural created world before and around us with little awareness?The Alliance has MP3 set that we are really excited to be giving away. It's entitled Developing a Christian Mind by James Boice. It's some of his best messages and it will help you to think biblically about our world.

According to Carl, Aimee & Todd, church membership isn’t an extra-biblical idea, so where does it originate from and what does it even matter? More importantly who does it better: the OPC or the PCA? (Carl's got the answer to that). Once we tease out why church membership is important, what purpose do membership classes serve? What pros are there to having them and for goodness sake, how long should they be?! And surely college or seminary students are off the hook since they are in such a transitory time, and they're taking enough classes. Right?The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is giving away a few copies of The Church: God's Kingdom on Earth, an event featuring the teaching of Rick Phillips, Carl Trueman and several others.

Today's Desperate Theologizer gets a failing grade from MOS, but they need more than a trip to the principal's office to straighten them out. Speaking of authority, the pulpit grants power to those behind it, but sometimes it becomes a weapon taken to extremes. Heavy shepherding, control, throwing your weight around - these are twisted approachs to pastoral ministry that any minister has the temptation to fall into and every lay congregant should be able to recognize. Today's addition of Bully Pulpit is more true to its name than ever.The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to offer you a free MP3 download entitled "A Pastor's Self Care: Friends and Mentors" by by Daniel Doriani. Discount is applied at checkout.

How on earth can we trust the books in the Bible to be the only Word of God, or “canon”, to which no man should add or subtract? What exactly is the canon and why is it important? What are its fundamental flaws, (and if there are any), then how can we be confident in it? The canon can be an intimidating topic so naturally we spared no expense in bringing out the big guns: Michael Kruger. Dr. Kruger is President of Reformed Seminary Charlotte, Samuel C. Patterson Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity, and author of numerous books. However, he’s more widely known for being married to Melissa Kruger. Hopefully we will get her on the show soon - but Michael makes for a nice Plan B.The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals has a few copies of The Heresy of Orthodoxy by Michael J. Kruger that we would like to giveaway.

Can mercy and grace find their way into your workout? Well, uniting brain and brawn has never been more feasible thanks to the desperate efforts of another Theologizer. In other news: Carl has a piercing question for Todd: “Is your Frat-Boy-Honeymoon period with the PCA over?” General Assembly recently ruffled some feathers, but thankfully they’d never get rid of Systematic Theology or start ordaining women … right?! … or would they?The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to offer you a free MP3 download entitled "The Vitality of Reformed Systematic Theology" by Richard Gaffin. Discount is applied at checkout.Valerie Hobbs' article, "What’s in a Name? Critical Reflections on the PCA’s Women in Ministry Study Committee" can be found on the Aquila Report.

Preachers preach theology, but what about our theology on preaching? Should sitting under the preached word take priority over other forms of scriptural intake? What about one-on-one discipleship, small-group Bible studies, biblical counseling, and Christian fellowship - do they take the backseat to sunday morning service? For some of us, a sermon is simply informative, but to others it’s one of God’s means to confront and encourage us in our Christian lives. That said, what’s your theology on preaching, truly and functionally?The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to offer you a free MP3 entitled "The Regulative Principle of Preaching" by Steve Lawson. Discount is applied at checkout.