Merry Christmas: A Q&A Story

01/02/25 • 52 min

Knowing Faith

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley answer listener questions to wrap up season 13!

Questions Covered in This Episode:

How did you start writing for an audience?
Who is the deep discipleship program built for? Should all leaders and volunteers at a church participate in this program?
What is the “extra Calvinisticum”?
Are you a dispensationalist? Why or why not?
Did God reject his people? (Romans 11)
How do you respond when people argue that focusing on studying the Bible and theology produces Pharisees?
My church dissolved its women's ministry in 2020. Do you have any advice on how to start a women's bible study without disrespecting the church's leaders?
What do you appreciate about each other?
If not just in memorial, what do the sacraments do?
What is the role of the warning passages in Hebrews?
Could you sum up free will from a reformed perspective?
How have you made the podcast work for so long?

Helpful Definitions:

Extra Calvinisticum: Teaches that in the Son’s incarnation the divine Logos is fully united to, but never fully contained within, the human nature. (Definition from TGC, Kevin DeYoung)
Dispensationalism: One way to think through the structure of Scripture has a variety of modes. A history with a theology.
Covenantal: One way to think through the structure of Scripture. A theology with a history.
Premillennialism: Belief in some sort of 1,000-year rule and reign and in some way that Christians are taken up into God's presence prior to the millennium.
Amillennialism: The millennium is figurative, we are currently living in the millennium period.
Views of the Lord's Supper:
- Transubstantiation (Catholicism): Conversion of elements.
- Consubstantiation (Lutheranism): Divine and human elements coexist.
- Memorial (Anabaptist): Elements are symbolic.
- Spiritual Presence (Reformed): Christ is spiritually present.
Libertarian Free Will: There is nothing outside of you that will constrain your ability to choose A or B. You are at liberty to do all that you would like to do whenever you’d like to do it.
Theological Determinism: You and all that you do is going to be determined by God or some gods.
Theological Compatibilism: You are able to act in accordance with your desires.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Romans 9-11, Isaiah 40:28-31, Hebrews 6

Our Sister Podcasts:

The Family Discipleship Podcast | Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

You can now receive your first seminary class for FREE from Midwestern Seminary after completing Lifeway’s Deep Discipleship curriculum, featuring JT, Jen and Kyle. Learn more at mbts.edu/deepdiscipleship.

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley answer listener questions to wrap up season 13!

Questions Covered in This Episode:

How did you start writing for an audience?
Who is the deep discipleship program built for? Should all leaders and volunteers at a church participate in this program?
What is the “extra Calvinisticum”?
Are you a dispensationalist? Why or why not?
Did God reject his people? (Romans 11)
How do you respond when people argue that focusing on studying the Bible and theology produces Pharisees?
My church dissolved its women's ministry in 2020. Do you have any advice on how to start a women's bible study without disrespecting the church's leaders?
What do you appreciate about each other?
If not just in memorial, what do the sacraments do?
What is the role of the warning passages in Hebrews?
Could you sum up free will from a reformed perspective?
How have you made the podcast work for so long?

Helpful Definitions:

Extra Calvinisticum: Teaches that in the Son’s incarnation the divine Logos is fully united to, but never fully contained within, the human nature. (Definition from TGC, Kevin DeYoung)
Dispensationalism: One way to think through the structure of Scripture has a variety of modes. A history with a theology.
Covenantal: One way to think through the structure of Scripture. A theology with a history.
Premillennialism: Belief in some sort of 1,000-year rule and reign and in some way that Christians are taken up into God's presence prior to the millennium.
Amillennialism: The millennium is figurative, we are currently living in the millennium period.
Views of the Lord's Supper:
- Transubstantiation (Catholicism): Conversion of elements.
- Consubstantiation (Lutheranism): Divine and human elements coexist.
- Memorial (Anabaptist): Elements are symbolic.
- Spiritual Presence (Reformed): Christ is spiritually present.
Libertarian Free Will: There is nothing outside of you that will constrain your ability to choose A or B. You are at liberty to do all that you would like to do whenever you’d like to do it.
Theological Determinism: You and all that you do is going to be determined by God or some gods.
Theological Compatibilism: You are able to act in accordance with your desires.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

Romans 9-11, Isaiah 40:28-31, Hebrews 6

Our Sister Podcasts:

The Family Discipleship Podcast | Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Previous Episode

Proverbs and Prophets (Wisdom Literature and Exile in the Bible)

Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley continue the story of scripture by looking at the wisdom literature and the prophets.

Questions Covered in This Episode:

What happens from the time Israel departs Sinai until the end of the Old Testament?
What is wisdom literature? Why does it matter?
Which book has been the most formative for you?
How is wisdom situational?
What is exile?
What role do the prophets play in the story of the Bible?
What confuses people when they read the prophets?
How do we read in the prophets?

Helpful Definitions:

Wisdom Literature: Jobs, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon. These books help us to live well in the face of God in all life's circumstances.
Exile: Being sent out of the presence of God.

Resources Mentioned in this Episode:

1 Kings 8, Genesis 3
“Three Philosophies of Life” by Peter Kreeft

Our Sister Podcasts:

The Family Discipleship Podcast | Tiny Theologians

Support Training the Church and Become a Patron:

patreon.com/trainingthechurch

To learn more about our sponsors please visit our sponsor page.

Editing and support by The Good Podcast Co.

Next Episode

"New" Revelation

Season 14 of the Knowing Faith podcast begins on January 23rd! In this episode, Jen Wilkin, JT English, and Kyle Worley give you a preview of what is to come in Season 14.

Questions Covered in This Episode: