The Gospel Coalition

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Channel • 12 Shows

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Updated 16/05/2024

5 DAYS AGO

When You (or a Friend) Face Unwanted Divorce (with Vaneetha Risner and Wendy Alsup)

Courtney Doctor talks with Wendy Alsup and Vaneetha Rendall Risner about their experiences of divorce. They share the Scripture passages that helped them keep going and talk honestly about what to say (and what not to say) to someone going through a divorce. They explain why it can be hard for a newly divorced Christian to go to church and why it’s vital to go anyway. Resources Mentioned: Walking Through Fire: A Memoir of Loss and Redemption by Vaneetha Rendall Risner I Forgive You by Wendy Alsup Related Resources: This Was Never the Plan: Walking with God Through the Heartache of Divorce by Vaneetha Rendall Risner Hope When Your Spouse Divorces You Why I’m Going Back to Church After My Divorce A Case for Being Honest with Your Elders When Shame Remains After Divorce DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. How has divorce affected your family or close friendships? What were the hardest spiritual or emotional struggles you or those close to you faced during that season? 2. What promises of God are especially important to remember when walking through deep disappointment or loss? 3. If you knew a friend was going through a divorce, what might hold you back from reaching out to her? 4. In what ways have you seen the church support women (and their children) walking through unwanted divorce well? In what ways could the church provide more support or encouragement to the marginalized or hurting? 5. What suggestions from this conversation helped you understand how to walk with friends or family navigating divorce? 6. In seasons when you cannot control outcomes for your family, what does it look like to trust God? 7. What does gospel hope look like in the aftermath of something as painful as divorce? Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish! Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish! Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition! Click here for more information about our upcoming conference, TGCW26, June 11-13 in Indianapolis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

5 days ago

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46 min
21 APR

On Losing Tim and Why Kathy Keller Published a Book of His Sermons on Sin

Tim Keller preached a series of sermons in the 1990s called “The Faces of Sin.” It did not go over well in New York. Angered by the liturgical confession of sin, one woman waited until after the sermon and yelled at Tim, “Neither I nor any of my children will ever confess to being sinners!” Naturally, Tim’s wife, Kathy, decided these would make good sermons to turn into a book! That’s what we have in the new book What Is Wrong with the World? The Surprising, Hopeful Answer to the Question We Cannot Avoid, published by Zondervan. One quote I think captures the book’s argument: “When we realize we are not a victim of our circumstances but a sinner who can call on someone much greater than ourselves to care for us, we can begin to truly live.” That’s the surprisingly hopeful message of the gospel: our sin is the problem with the world. But all of us can be saved by grace when we confess that sin, repent of that sin, and trust in Christ. Easy enough, right? Remember that woman in New York. It’s no small thing to confess your sin. And ALL of us must confess our sin. Here’s what Tim wrote: “No other religion says that the lowest person in the gutter and the most moral, upstanding citizen in the world are equally lost, equally need to be saved by grace, and can only be saved by grace alone.” What an honor to be joined again on Gospelbound by Kathy Keller about sin, grace, and the gospel. In This Episode:00:00 – Cold open: “the sin beneath the sin”00:39 – Introducing Tim Keller’s Faces of Sin sermons and the new book02:25 – Idolatry, grief, and losing what feels like “everything”04:15 – Blind spots, community, and uncovering hidden sins07:14 – “What’s wrong with the world?” starting with ourselves08:13 – G. K. Chesterton and the sins of omission11:31 – The gospel is bitter at first bite and sweet within15:55 – Missing Tim and resting in God’s grace16:48 – “Nathans,” correction, and giving one another “hunting licenses”18:30 – Parenting regrets and learning consequences the hard way22:22 – Why the gospel gives hope in the face of failure22:52 – How Tim Keller is misunderstood today30:43 – The Hopewell years and learning mercy ministry34:55 – Kathy’s favorite Tim Keller book: Jonah / The Prodigal Prophet37:57 – The books Tim Keller hoped to write40:25 – “Identity received or achieved” and unfinished work41:35 – Closing reflections42:02 – Outro Resources Mentioned: What Is Wrong with the World? by Tim Keller The Faces of Sin (Sermon Series) by Tim Keller The Prodigal Prophet by Tim Keller Ministries of Mercy by Tim Keller The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Making Sense of Us by TGC and The Keller Center The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics — — — 📫 SIGN UP for my newsletter, Unseen Things: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/gospelbound 🎁 Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at https://www.tgc.org/together 🎧 Don’t miss an episode of Gospelbound with Collin Hansen ▫ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gospelbound/id1499898207 ▫ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kRYr5FTKr5ru1N7MR65Br ✅ SUBSCRIBE: ▫ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegospelcoalition ▫ TGC Updates: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/newsletters Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

21 Apr

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42 min
16 APR

Worship Is More than a Playlist (with Emily Jensen)

Melissa and Courtney talk with Emily Jensen about how to broaden our understanding of worship to think of it as a response to God’s worth. Worship is more than singing on Sunday morning, but corporate worship is an essential part of the worship God desires. They talk about the role our feelings should play in how we think about worship and how to offer up the mundane moments of our lives to the glory of God. Resources Mentioned: Worship (Disciplines of Devotion) by Emily A. Jensen “God Moves In a Mysterious Way” “Holy Forever” “We Rest on Thee” Related Resources: A Biblical Theology of Worship Leading Worship Is Worship Gospel-Shaped Worship DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. What is a hymn or worship song that has encouraged you recently? 2. Before listening to this episode, how would you have defined worship? How does the definition that worship is “our response to who God is and what he has done” expand or challenge your thinking? 3. What are some everyday moments in your life that could become opportunities for worship? What could that look like for you? 4. What’s the difference between using worship to change our feelings and worshiping because God is worthy, regardless of how we feel? 5. What has helped you approach worship, even when you feel anxious, distracted, or spiritually dry? 6. What modern-day idols compete for our worship? 7. How does the image of a child offering imperfect efforts to a loving parent shape the way you think about your own worship? Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish! Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition! Click here for more information about our upcoming conference, TGCW26, June 11-13 in Indianapolis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

16 Apr

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49 min
19 HR AGO

Why Therapy Can’t Replace the Church

You will find many books on the biblical and practical importance of the local church. I wrote one myself a few years ago with Jonathan Leeman called Rediscover Church: Why the Body of Christ Is Essential. But few books can match the way Brad Edwards shows us the need for the church amid rampant anxiety, division, and individualism. Not only our churches but even whole societies would be transformed by implementing the wisdom found in this book, called The Reason for Church. Brad is the church planter of The Table Church in Lafayette, Colorado. His debut book has been justly acclaimed. He won the 2025 Christianity Today Book of the Year Award and also finished first in the Church and Pastoral Leadership category. He was the winner of The Gospel Coalition's award for First-Time Author that year as well. I’m grateful that he joins me now to talk about everything from authority and institutions to anxiety and whether unity should be the goal for a church. In This Episode: 00:00 – Opening: power, trust, and the temptation toward conformity 00:26 – Introducing Brad Edwards and The Reason for Church 01:41 – Ranking the causes behind declining trust in church authority 04:05 – Accountability, social media, and the limits of online justice 08:25 – Churches, institutions, platforms, and marketplace logic 11:17 – What changes people’s minds about the need for church? 13:27 – Church planting in Boulder County and Colorado’s anti-institutional culture 17:01 – Therapy culture, spiritual abuse, and what the book could not fully address 22:19 – Institution building, movements, and building a remnant 26:30 – Technology, schedules, and the challenge of spiritual formation 29:09 – Individuality versus individualism 34:39 – Should unity be the goal of a church? 37:49 – What surprised Brad most about becoming a pastor 39:21 – AI, agency, and the future of formation 43:07 – Hartmut Rosa, resonance, gambling, and the desire for control 46:55 – AI, education, responsibility, and authorship 52:05 – The church as remnant and refuge in a changing world 53:19 – What pastors want their congregations to know 56:41 – Closing and Gospelbound outro Resources Mentioned: The Reason for Church by Brad Edwards Rediscover Church by Collin Hansen and Jonathan Leeman Bowling Alone by Robert D. Putnam Yuval Levin’s work on institutions Bully Pulpit by Michael J. Kruger GIRLS® by Freya India The Reason for God by Tim Keller Center Church by Tim Keller Dominion by Tom Holland Habits of the Heart by Robert Bellah The Uncontrollability of the World by Hartmut Rosa PostEverything, Brad Edwards’s podcast with John Homsher Harper’s Magazine article on young AI founders — — — 📫 SIGN UP for my newsletter, Unseen Things: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/gospelbound 🎁 Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at https://www.tgc.org/together 🎧 Don’t miss an episode of Gospelbound with Collin Hansen ▫ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gospelbound/id1499898207 ▫ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kRYr5FTKr5ru1N7MR65Br ✅ SUBSCRIBE: ▫ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegospelcoalition ▫ TGC Updates: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/newsletters Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

19 hr ago

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57 min
2 APR

Recognizing Our Own Marks of Righteousness

Courtney and Melissa talk about how to recognize and repent of the ways we may be relying on self-righteousness rather than the righteousness of Christ. They talk about tribalism, what happens when debatable issues are treated as primary, and how, paradoxically, the areas where we feel despair may point to areas of pride or self-righteousness in our lives. Related Resources: Finding the Right Hills to Die On by Gavin Ortlund The Sticky Sin of Always Being Right Self-Righteousness Wears Many Disguises DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. What are some things that come to mind (such as good practices or habits) that can quietly become a source of pride? 2. In what ways do you notice self-righteousness creep into Christian community in subtle or socially acceptable ways? 3. Are there particular areas of obedience or conviction where you feel tempted to compare yourself with others? What might that reveal about your heart? 4. In Philippians 3:4–10, Paul calls his impressive spiritual résumé “rubbish” compared with knowing Christ. What does this passage teach us about the difference between our righteousness and Christ’s righteousness? 5. Why do you think it can be so easy to trust in our own efforts rather than resting in Christ’s righteousness? 6. What are some red flags in your thoughts, attitudes, or conversations that might signal self-righteousness creeping in? 7. How can Christian communities encourage holiness and obedience without creating an atmosphere of pride, comparison, or tribalism? Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish! Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition! Click here for more information about our upcoming conference, TGCW26, June 11-13 in Indianapolis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

2 Apr

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47 min
6 DAYS AGO

Lessons from a Seasoned Scholar with Thomas Schreiner

Tom Schreiner joins Matt Harmon and Ben Gladd to discuss why biblical theology matters, how to read the whole Bible as one story, and how typology, covenant, and careful attention to the text help Christians interpret Scripture faithfully. They also reflect on the future of biblical theology, the value of humility in difficult passages, and the rich Old Testament background behind Mary’s song in Luke 1. Resources Mentioned Theology of the New Testament by George Ladd Covenant and God’s Purpose for the World by Tom Schreiner The Joy of Hearing by Tom Schreiner The King in His Beauty: A Biblical Theology of the Old and New Testaments by Tom Schreiner New Testament Theology: Magnifying God in Christ by Tom Schreiner The Temple and the Church's Mission by G.K. Beale From the Manger to the Throne by Ben Gladd Women in the Church: A Fresh Analysis of 1 Timothy 2:9–15 by Tom Schreiner From Prisoner to Prince: The Joseph Story in Biblical Theology by Samuel Emadi The Carson Center 📧 Email us at bibtheobriefingpod@gmail.com Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

6 days ago

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58 min
19 FEB

Kickstart Your Prayer Life

Courtney and Melissa discuss helpful practices they’ve used in their prayer lives, including developing regular rhythms, alternating prayer with Scripture reading, and incorporating confession of sin as a part of personal prayer. They talk about how to be faithful to a promise to pray for someone else and how to make prayer part of a friendship. Rather than speaking from a place of prescriptive legalism, Melissa and Courtney speak with infectious enthusiasm about the possibilities of a rich and growing prayer life. Resources Mentioned: The Deep Dish: Conversations with GodLord, Teach Me to Pray in 28 Days by Kay Arthur5 Things to Pray for Your Kids by Melissa Kruger5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse by Melissa KrugerThe Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie OmartianParenting with Hope by Melissa KrugerI’m Praying for You: 40 Days of Praying the Bible for Someone Who Is Suffering by Nancy GuthriePiercing Heaven: Prayers of the Puritans edited by Robert ElmerEvery Moment Holy seriesRelated Resources Prayer (Disciplines of Devotion series) by Courtney ReissigIn Prayer, Structure Serves Spontaneity7 Ways to Fight Distraction in PrayerDISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. Do you have a routine for prayer? When and where do you usually pray? 2. What strategies do you use to organize your prayer time and guard against distractions? 3. How has God used prayer to rightly orient you toward seeking his will above your own? 4. When have you struggled to persevere in prayer or to accept an answer to prayer? 5. What benefits have you experienced as a result of praying with others (family, friends, or ministry partners)? 6. What next step will you take in your practice of prayer? What do you want to start, stop, or continue doing? Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish! Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition! Click here for more information about our upcoming conference, TGCW26, June 11-13 in Indianapolis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

19 Feb

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47 min
5 FEB

Fighting Materialism in a Materialistic World

Melissa and Courtney talk with Jen Oshman about the lie that our worth is measured by what we possess. They discuss why we try to fill a God-shaped hole with earthly things and how to recognize materialism in our lives. They talk about strategies to combat materialism, including inviting trusted friends into your financial decisions, seeking to be as generous to others as possible, and setting your heart on heavenly possessions rather than earthly ones. Resources Mentioned: Heaven by Randy AlcornThe Treasure Principle by Randy AlcornRelated Resources: Materialism, Money, and Me CultureMaterialism Is Easy to Decry and Hard to AvoidCovetousness: The Sin Behind the SinDISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. In what ways do you see materialism connected to deeper desires in your heart? How might you be settling for lesser gifts instead of storing up treasure in heaven? 2. What types of things most often capture your attention or stir up desire (e.g., clothes, home decor, technology, experiences)? 3. What rhythms or practices (daily, weekly, or monthly) could help you become more mindful of how you consume, spend, and steward what God has given you? 4. Share a time when you experienced God’s abundant provision. How does remembering his care grow your desire to trust him and reflect his generosity? 5. What Scriptures or truths about God’s character help reorient your heart when you feel the pull toward “more”? 6. How could other believers help you with accountability or input in the areas of spending, consumption, and giving? 7. What’s one next step you would like to take based on what you’ve heard and discussed today? Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish! Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition! Click here for more information about our upcoming conference, TGCW26, June 11-13 in Indianapolis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

5 Feb

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45 min
7 APR

What Keeps Carl Trueman Awake at Night

Western culture today largely lacks a sense of consecration, of setting apart the ordinary as holy. Yet somehow we still have a strong impulse toward desecration, of turning the holy into the ordinary. Why have we lost the taste of the good while developing a taste for the bad? That’s a core question at the heart of Carl Trueman’s new book, The Desecration of Man: How the Rejection of God Degrades Our Humanity, published by Penguin Random House’s Sentinel imprint. Carl is a professor of biblical and theological studies at Grove City College and a fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He was a guest on Gospelbound in 2020 for his highly acclaimed, bestselling book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. In his new book Trueman writes, “Transgression of the sacred is exhilarating precisely because it makes us feel like gods, the creators of our own meanings and our own selves. All we need to do is cross lines previously enforced by the idea of God and we thereby assume the role of being gods.” Desecration is how we communicate authenticity, perhaps the most important value for the modern self. This entire project has backfired. Let’s hear from Carl about why. In This Episode:00:00 – Carl Trueman on desecration and the modern crisis of humanity02:30 – Why write another book after The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self?04:22 – Why the sexual revolution sits at the center of the story06:11 – Cultural Christianity, conversion, and why truth still matters10:30 – Nietzsche’s “madman” and the collapse of moral meaning12:56 – Authenticity, evangelism, and the uphill battle against expressive individualism18:23 – Do the revolutions of modernity actually deliver what they promise?21:04 – Genetic selection, artificial wombs, and the moral vacuum of tech culture27:29 – Social acceleration, anxiety, and the instability of modern life30:23 – Technology, human limits, and the need for a normative view of humanity35:58 – Assisted suicide, autonomy, and why stories matter more than abstractions41:53 – The transgender movement, fairness, and transhumanism45:44 – Why Christian nationalism is not the answer49:40 – Creed, cult, code, congregational singing, and hospitality as a plan of consecration55:53 – Outro Resources Mentioned: The Desecration of Man by Carl Trueman The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self by Carl Trueman The Gay Science by Friedrich Nietzsche The Ethics of Authenticity by Charles Taylor — — — 📫 SIGN UP for my newsletter, Unseen Things: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/gospelbound 🎁 Help The Gospel Coalition build up a renewed church for tomorrow. Let's Build Together: Donate Today at https://www.tgc.org/together 🎧 Don’t miss an episode of Gospelbound with Collin Hansen ▫ Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gospelbound/id1499898207 ▫ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0kRYr5FTKr5ru1N7MR65Br ✅ SUBSCRIBE: ▫ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@thegospelcoalition ▫ TGC Updates: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/newsletters Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

7 Apr

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56 min
8 JAN

How to Make Friends in Real Life

Courtney and Melissa talk with Christine Hoover about why we need friends and how to make them. They discuss how to get over the awkwardness of walking into a room where you don’t know anyone, why our friendships may shift in different life stages, how our friends shape us, and how an idealized view of friendship (where your friends never disappoint you) runs counter to the gospel. RESOURCES MENTIONED: The Hard Work of Lifelong Friendships RELATED RESOURCES: Want to Grow in Wisdom? You Need Gospel Friends.Why Ministry Partners Are Better than Instagram FriendsHow to Be the Friend You’ve Always WantedMessy Beautiful Friendship by Christine K. Hoover DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: 1. How has your experience of making friends changed in different seasons of your life? Which seasons have been most challenging, and why? 2. In what ways are your current friendships gospel-centered? Where do you sense room for growth? 3. Where has God placed you—at church, at work, at home, or in your community—to notice and include those who may feel overlooked or alone? 4. What qualities of a faithful, Christlike friend are you asking God to grow in you right now? 5. How does the gospel speak to the fears or expectations that hinder our friendships? 6. How are you intentionally prioritizing fellowship with Christ? How does your relationship with him shape what you offer in your friendships? 7. What next step is God calling you to take in your pursuit of gospel-centered friendship? Let this Mother’s Day be a reminder that she deserves care, too. Head to cozyearth.com and use our code DEEP for an exclusive 20% off, and if you see a post-purchase survey, be sure to mention you heard about Cozy Earth from us here at The Deep Dish! Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition! Click here for more information about our upcoming conference, TGCW26, June 11-13 in Indianapolis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Jan

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41 min

The Gospel Coalition is a fellowship of evangelical churches in the Reformed tradition deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures. We seek to share the gospel and provide Biblical answers to today's faith questions through our articles, videos, conferences, and podcast shows.