Mortification Of Spin

Where do our rights come from: God or Government? As Christians, how are we using (or should we say misusing) our American liberties? What does God have to say about abortion and sexual identity? These are pressing questions during an era submerged in promoting pro-choice and normalizing immoral sexual agendas. As Christians, we must know our stance. Frank Beckwith, professor of ethics, philosophy, and religion at Baylor University, and author of Defending Life: A Moral and Legal Case Against Abortion Choice, joins today's conversation. Hear Frank's fascinating defense against a society that twists virtue and hails immorality.For this week's Mortification of Spin, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give away some free copies of God's Servant in Christian Liberty MP3 set. If you do not recieve a free copy, you can also find these messages on Reformed Resources.

Time for another book review, and we're giving this one three thumbs up! Our hosts discuss the recent republication of The Church of Christ, a classic of Scottish Presbyterian polity and theory by James Bannerman. This book highlights the Church's role, power, and importance during a time the world (and even Christians!) struggles to see its purpose. Does the church stand a chance in societies that continually belittle its values and undermine its presence? Not surprisingly, the world is growing more uncomfortable for Christians, so we must purpose to understand what God intended for His Bride and keep heart. Bannerman helps us do just that.This week The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give you the opportunity to win a free copy of James Bannerman's The Church of Christ. You can enter here to win a free copy of this timeless work.Additional ResourcesThe Post-Indiana Future for Christians

Domestic violence and sexual abuse are not easy topics to discuss, but they are ones every church leader must know how to address. Justin & Lindsey Holcomb, authors of Rid of My Disgrace: Hope and Healing for Victims of Sexual Assault, and Is It My Fault?: Hope and Healing for Those Suffering Domestic Violence, join the show today. What must a church do to promote a culture where victims feel safe to open up? What should pastors and church leadership do when a congregant reports a case of domestic violence or abuse? What the Holcombs say is as helpful as it is sobering - it's a conversation every pastor should heed.The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give away a free audio download - Not in my Church! Tackling Sexual Sin and Sexual Sinners with Gratitude by David Garner. You can also find this message and others at Reformed Resources.Additional Resources: G.R.A.C.E. (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Enviornment)God Made All of Me: A Book to Help Children Protect Their Bodies

Most of us know how we'd answer when asked to officiate, attend, or participate in a homosexual wedding, but what about baking the cake? Recently the media is all over Christian bakers who refuse to bake cakes for such unions. It's hitting close to home and those in the pew are feeling the pinch. So is it a church discispline issue if a Christian offers his or her creative talents and business services to a homosexual wedding, or is it merely a matter of conscious? Piece of cake, right? Carl, Aimee, and Todd have to admit, this ain't no cake walk! Listen as they reason and navigate this sticky situation and offer a pastoral response. On the topic of marriage, sexuality, and gender the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give away free downloads to The Church's Response - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly by Rosaria Butterfield. You can also find this free gift on Reformed Resources.For Further Reading:A Note From Creator CakesMainstreaming Homosexuality

Today we celebrate a momentous feat in reformed evangelical church history: Mortification of Spin’s 100th episode! Carl and Todd reminisce about “The Golden Age”, Aimee highlights Carl’s inability to pronounce the English language, and all three discuss the spin they mortified this last year. It's full of the typical spinful banter and helpful take-aways from times past. In 100 episodes, one thing is for certain: As Aimee’s skin has thickened, Carl & Todd's hair has not. So come join the casual celebration of this 100th conversation as our hosts do what they do best: take care of business.  The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to celebrate the 100th Mortification of Spin Episode by giving away the Mortification of Spin anthology - both seasons produced so far. You can enter here for a chance to win. You can also purchase season 1 and season 2 of Mortification of Spin on ReformedResources.org.

“Well-rounded ministry is relatively rare today ... ‘while in God’s grace, there is an encouraging number of bright spots in the church, we see no broad movement yet of this gospel–centered ministry.’ […] We want more gospel-shaped churches,” according to the Gospel Coalition, launching their new 'Gospel-Shaped Church' series of books and DVDs. So have we missed the mark and been doing worship all wrong for hundreds of years? What makes a church "gospel-shaped" anyway? With all due respect, why recreate the wheel and abandon the greats of old who thoughtfully hammered out the basic elements of worship for us? Carl, Aimee, and Todd have plenty to say on the Gospel and its “shapes.” If you have benefited from listening to this week's Bully Pulpit then you will enjoy Reformed Worship Mistakes to Avoid by Terry Johnson, a free digital audio download from The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You can also get your free gift from Reformed Resources.

Is it wise to recommend authors or quote those you don't agree with? Or is that playing with fire? What reasons justify avoiding a book or author altogether? Carl & Todd stand in agreement - you can respect, disagree with, or even dislike authors you quote. Exhibit A: Aimee Byrd. Joking aside, what's the rule of thumb here? From a preacher's perspective, Carl & Todd lend helpful insights for pastors from pastors and Aimee gives us her usual food for thought. If you have enjoyed this week's Bully Pulpit then you will want Significant Theological Works in the Past 50 years by Douglas Kelly as a free audio download from the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You can also find your free gift at Reformed Resources.

City Church San Francisco recently wrote a letter about their views and ministry towards those attending City and associate with LGBTQ. City Church now affirms that homosexual sex is justified within the context of marriage. How should we respond to this? Surely the Church welcomes sinners, otherwise Her pews would be empty, but why has City gone so far to disregard scripture? With any sin, there can be real physical dangers aside from the obvious spiritual ones. Carl, Aimee, & Todd do not shy away from speaking up and sharing their concerns on the matter. They also offer some helpful resources you'll want to read.If you have enjoyed this week's instalment of Bull Pulpit you will benefit from a free gift from the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals, Pagan Sexuality by Peter Jones. You can also find your free audio download at Reformed Resources.

Today a motion, only the second of its kind in history, is made on the Spin; one that is, as Todd so eloquently puts it: "...so Presbyterian." Joining the Crew for such an honor is Nancy Guthrie. An author, teacher, and speaker, Nancy joins the team to talk about bereavement. Having lost two children, she understands the shadow that grief and tragedy can cast on one's faith. Is God as sovereign over the days of healthy children who will know a "full" life as he is over the one born with a rare syndrome who dies "before his time?" Has God been absent and uncaring? Listen to Nancy's responses, which offer powerful theological truths any Christian can cling to in times of suffering and loss. If you have enjoyed today's conversation you will appreciate The Cross and Suffering by Ligion Duncan as a free audio download from The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You can also find this free gift on Reformed Resources.You can also find additional resources from Nancie Gutherie with the following ministries:Respite

While Carl, known in some circles as RevMaster T, is off touring Australia with Lecrae, Aimee and Todd discuss the latest book on Luther with its token, British author. The book, Luther on the Christian Life, was written for the Church with a pastoral emphasis in mind, so it’s far from just another academic read. Its author has penned much on Luther before but even he was surprised by new findings about the legendary, revolutionary theologian. Listen to the end for a taste of The RevMaster’s latest work - a rap sensation that's exploding on YouTube.If you found this week's Bully Pulpit thought provoking, you may enjoy We Are Beggars: Luther's Famous Last Words by Carl Trueman, a free audio dowload from The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You can also visit Reformed Resources to recieve this free gift and other great resources from the Alliance.And order your copy of Luther on the Christian Life: Cross and Freedom from ReformedResources.org today!

Tom Ascol, Executive Director of Founders Ministries, author, and pastor, joins the Spin Crew for a riveting conversation on Calvinism in the Southern Baptist Convention. Are Calvinists and Baptists so oil-and-water after all? Tom speaks on why Baptists do what they do, and the Gang gets down to business asking some important questions: Are all southerners die-hard tailgaters or does Tom Ascol break the mold? And when will he retire to that Harley Davidson he deserves? But most important, will Tom reprimand our three hosts for leaving their Baptist roots? So much to discuss, so little time. It's another conversation that'll have your head spinning!If you have enjoyed this week's Mortification of Spin then you will benefit from The Five Points of Calvinism by Roger Nicole as a free audio download from The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You can recieve your gift at Reformed Resources.

It's Oscar Sunday and gracing the red carpet tonight are our very own podcast "superstars," Carl, Aimee, & Todd. As they await the chance to mingle with the famous (and infamous), they reflect on what it will be like to get a selfie with Lecrae and what Sabbath observance even means. It's a difficult and pressing question for Christians, (the Sabbath, not Lecrae-selfies), and it seems that many don't grasp the kindness in God's 4th commandment. Doesn't church hold us back from "better" leisures on Sunday? And is it so bad to forego public worship to seek trivial, even "restful" affairs? It's a glamorous conversation on a night like this as the Gang push back the paparazzi by the droves.This week The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to offer you The Christian Sabbath by Stephen Miller, a free audio download. You can find this free offer on Reformed Resources.

Today our hosts have a meaningful, sober conversation with Todd Billings: author, pastor, and professor at Western Theological Seminary. Todd has been diagnosed with a rare, and for him terminal, form of cancer: Multiple Myeloma. He shares some of his experience and hope amidst acute awareness of his mortality, and how to, with strength and godliness, face death. Cancer affects some of us, either directly or indirectly, so Todd's words of trust in God's providence, Scripture, and prayer are helpful and relevant. Touching on points he raises in his book, Rejoicing in Lament: Wrestling with Incurable Cancer and Life in Christ, Todd lends insights on ways to encourage those suffering with serious illness. This is a conversation you're not likely to forget. This week the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give away some copies of Todd Billings' book Rejoicing in Lament, enter here for a chance to win. You can also purchase this product at Reformed Resources.The song featured at the end of this prog

Carl, Aimee & Todd find themselves in the company of a Canadian... again. Once running a fish 'n' chips restaurant, Francis VanDelden now pastors a church in Frederick, Maryland. Carl & Todd are dying to know: Does Francis regret the day Aimee Byrd cast a shadow on his church door? Listen as Francis shares his personal joys of the pastorate and the privilege it is to enter the pulpit each week. The Gang asks Francis how he shepherds an OPC "megachurch" of almost two hundred. It's a conversation that is casual, helpful, and refreshing.If you have enjoyed this week's Bully Pulpit then check out "Devoted to the Means of Grace: The Life and Ministry of John Owen" by Jon Payne, a free audio download from the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Visit Reformed Resources to download the MP3.

Authors & "Canadian cultural icons" Linda & Sandy Finlayson, join the round table to talk Shania Twain, maple syrup, books, and their estranged friendship with the Spin's own Carl Trueman. They discuss Sandy's biography on Thomas Chalmers and Linda's book Wielding the Sword. The dynamic duo share their reasons for taking up the pen to publish these books centered around church history as it is both a passion and mission of theirs.This week, the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals is giving away free copies of Wielding the Sword by Linda Finlayson OR Thomas Chalmers by Sandy Finlayson. Enter here for a chance to win. You can also purchse these books on Reformed Resources.

This week the spin's all about Thomas Oden and his latest book, A Change of Heart: A Personal and Theological Memoir. Oden, once a man deep in radical, liberal ideals passionately opposed to orthodoxy, confesses a stunning conversion to orthodox evangelical Christianity, and at the coaxing of the most unlikely person. Carl, Aimee, & Todd discuss many fascinating stories of Oden's life and the array of renowned theologians, politicians, leaders, and icons he's rubbed shoulders with along the way. His humble accounts occupying these pages are shocking and showcase an intellectual man with a pastor's heart. It's a page-turner the gang suggests you read in 2015. This week the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give away free copies of the Reformed Biography Series, a collection of teachings on four prominent theologians in church history. For an opportunity to win a copy of this audio set, enter the giveaway.

Welcome back to the Preaching Conference as we rejoin the panel discussion where the team and Reverend Kent Hughes tackle meaningful questions submitted by pastors and seminary students attending the event. The banter is contagious and some of the questions outrageous… yet helpful. Tune in to hear how this quartet of theological know-how takes on questions like: "How can I get in the pulpit when I am so sinful?" and, "Now that you've reached the pinnacle of evangelical celebrity, what's the view like from the top?" and a Spin favorite: "Where would you draw the line of being vulnerable from the pulpit in sharing your own personal sin?"This week the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals would like to give away free copies of Mortification of Spin: Season Two. Enter here for a chance to win.

Take a gander with Carl, Aimee, and Todd as they browse today's Christian Best-Sellers list. Discerning worthwhile reads from sentimental fluff, they look for theological substance but the pickin's are slim. With the casual aside, this is a courageous conversation to address a serious question: Why do so many Christian women read garbage? And if the allure of weak theology is so great, should pastors go on book patrol? Being our token female (and honorary man), Aimee has plenty to say. Of course, Carl has another question for our Fair Lady that really gets her goat...If you have found this Bully Pulpit helpful you will enjoy Understanding God's Will by Derek Thomas, a free audio download from the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You can find your free gift on Reformed Resources.

Grab a seat in Rust Auditorium at Westminster Theological Seminary where the MoS crew talk with Dr. Kent Hughes at the annual preaching conference. Dr. Hughes has a long track-record of faithfulness behind the pulpit and the pen. He answers on a topic he knows much about: preaching. You'll hear anything from how to preach through pain to how to cultivate humility amidst success. Hughes' answers will both bless and challenge.If you have benefited from this episode of Mortification of Spin then you will enjoy The Glory of Christ in the Proclamation of the Gospel by Kent Hughes, a free audio-download from the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals! You can recieve your free gift from Reformed Resources.

Jonathan & David of the Old Testament… were they homosexual or was it just a bromance? Not a new question to a culture tending to attribute sexuality to deep, rewarding relationships… but why is that so? The Gang addresses the need to reinstate friendships to a non-sexual category and what implications this could have on how we think about relationships in the Church. It's a conversation on intimacy, and judging by the way things are headed, Carl may break his Brit-code to hug Todd, marking the best day in Todd's life.If you enjoyed this week's Bully Pulpit on friendship then you will like Feast or Famine by Phil Ryken as a free audio download from The Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. You can redeem your free gift at Reformed Resources.