The Wednesday Conversation

Human beings have an inherent desire to be good at something. But becoming competent requires self-awareness and humility. In this episode, we lay the groundwork for how the gospel frees us to admit our strengths & weaknesses, discover our aptitudes, and grow in competence.

Why does church membership matter? In this episode from 2016, we discuss the importance of being committed to the local church.

This episode continues Bob's conversation with special guest Johan Verster, exploring the particulars of Ligpunt Church and the context of growing and planting churches in South Africa.

Bob sat down with Pastor Johan Verster during his time in the United States to talk about his story, his journey to faith, and how he came to plant Ligpunt Church in Pretoria, South Africa.

It’s easy for the sacrament of communion to become commonplace, and it can be tempting for Christians to participate mindlessly. Many Christians may not know the answers to questions like, “What is communion?” and “Why do we observe it regularly?” In 2019, we decided to spend some time discussing the sacrament of communion - the four main views surrounding it and how we choose to practice it in our local churches.

In a recent article for New York Magazine, Andrea Long Chu asserts the belief that kids should have the freedom to change their bodies and sexual identity at any time for any reason. In this episode, we discuss what that means for the direction of culture and society, and how Christians can courageously and faithfully uphold the traditional sexual ethic.

For much of the 20th century, the resurrection of Jesus was believed by Christians as a matter of faith, but doubted by scholars as a matter of history. NT Wright’s book “The Resurrection of the Son of God” changed all that. In this episode, we survey Wright’s major argument for the historicity of the resurrection, and explore how his work can help us interact with skeptics.

As image-bearers of God, we are made to feel. Yet we can have a limited emotional range or lack the ability to tap into what we’re feeling in a given moment. In this episode, we discuss why emotional awareness is important and how it leads to a deeper, more honest relationship with the Lord and one another.

Aaron Renn’s new book “Life in the Negative World” uses the experience of The Crossing Church as an example of what happens when a church tries to minister faithfully in a "negative world." Patrick Miller, pastor of The Crossing, wrote an article to tell the fuller story of their church's partnership with a progressive film festival. In this episode, we dissect Miller’s essay and discuss where Renn’s hypothesis is helpful and where it falls short. Article: https://mereorthodoxy.com/the-crossing-negative-world

2014 was the year American evangelical Christianity began to fracture. In today’s episode, we reflect on a Jake Meador article that uses the Acts 29 Network as a case study exploring that fracturing. Based on our own experiences during that time, we analyze where Meador's analysis rings true and where it doesn't. Article: https://mereorthodoxy.com/ten-years-evangelical-fracturing

In ministry work, pastors often have rich, joyful, redemptive stories to tell. And there are also some odd stories. The ones that make you ask, “Did that really happen?” From being interrupted while preaching a sermon to being asked to fly across the country to approve of a relationship: in today’s episode, we recount some of the most interesting experiences we've had in pastoral ministry.

“Gentle parenting” is the latest parenting trend, and parents are increasingly being exposed to it as it gains popularity through social media. In this episode, we discuss what the gentle parenting approach entails, and how Scripture evaluates this method of child-rearing. Article: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/gentle-parenting-biblical/

Many Christians observe Lent. Others criticize the practice, claiming that Lent is "too Catholic." In this episode, we explore the history of Lent and discuss why it can be a very meaningful season for Christians. We also disagree with one another on some of the particulars of Lenten worship.

How do we apply the Good Samaritan parable in a world where we’re constantly exposed to the needs of others? Do we have the same moral obligation to those across the world as we have to those closest to us? Prompted by a recent inquiry from a listener, we discuss the ever-provocative question: who is my neighbor?

Almost 10 years ago, we sat down with Dr. Gary Nebeker to talk about shame and its impact on the soul. Because shame can hinder us from experiencing the joy and freedom of the gospel, it's important that we attend to its presence and engage it in light of the gospel.

Many episodes ago, we discussed the topic of Christian nationalism and whether this term was even precise enough to be meaningful. More recently, media outlets have been applying the label "Christian nationalist" to almost any political proposal that's self-consciously Christian. In this episode, we discuss an article by Andrew Walker analyzing this trend. Walker argues that “Christian nationalism is this generation’s progressive epithet used to discredit and scapegoat conservative Christianity.” Article: https://wng.org/opinions/look-out-theyre-coming-1704802870

Every disciple of Jesus should expect opposition. Jesus teaches as much in the Sermon on the Mount. But if the world used to oppose Christians for matters of grace – the exclusivity of the gospel, personal piety, or a relationship with Jesus – it seems that now we're hated for nature. In this episode, we discuss an article by Rhys Laverty that raises this issue and explores how it affects Christian discipleship. Article: https://thenewalbion.substack.com/p/what-did-you-plan-to-be-hated-for

Pope Francis recently issued a statement on blessings for same-sex relationships: unleashing celebration, critique, and every reaction in between. In this episode, we explore some responses from prominent Catholic and Protestant voices and discuss the latest topic of cultural division within the Catholic church.

In the first episode of the new year, we sit down to talk about the things that stood out to us in 2023: specifically, some of the best or most interesting books or articles we read, movies we watched, or podcasts we listened to. Let us know what topics you'd like to hear us cover in 2024!

In the final 2023 episode of The Wednesday Conversation, we discuss the final chapter of The Christian Family. Herman Bavinck writes about what he sees on the horizon for how society and governments will treat the family, but also reminds his readers of God’s eschatological plan for the future of the family.