The Kev Cast: Recent Episodes
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Back a few weeks ago I was saddened to learn of the passing of Howard Phillips. Phillips was a man of principle who was champion for of the Constitution against the rising tides of secularism and liberalism. One of the original founders of the Moral Majority, he was a vocal advocate of Christian Reconstructionism and a follower of R.J. Rushdoony. His faith in Christ was strong, articulate and contagious. In 1992 Howard Phillips founded what would later become the Constitution Party. After having working relationships with Presidents Nixon and Reagan, Phillips was convinced the Republican Party would not support and defend the Constitution our forefathers handed down to us. Instead of merely going along to get along in order to secure more power, he left the party in order to fight for principle. Howard Phillips was also the chairman of the Conservative Caucus and host of the Conservative Roundtable weekly television program. When I ran for Congress in 2007, Howard drove all the way up from Virginia (on his own dime) to help and campaign for me. He knew I had little chance of winning, but wished to encourage me and instill within me some core values about what is really important. My time with Howard Phillips will be a time I will always cherish. You learn more about Howard Phillips by reading his son Doug’s tribute to him at Vision Forum. On this episode of the KevCast I will air an interview I conducted with Howard during my congressional campaign in 2007.
Many of you may remember the revelation last year that Indiana Pastor Jack Schaap (First Baptist Church of Hammond) was having an affair with a teenage girl he had been counseling. Not only did this make national headlines, but it once again showed the darkest side of the self-identified fundamentalist movement. Both Schaap and his predecessor Jack Hyles had a loyal, world-wide following. Though all fundamentalists would have disapproved of this man’s moral failure, not all fundamentalists spoke out against Schaap’s doctrinal errors and the hero-worship that might have led to thinking he could get away with such a horrible sin. On this episode of the KevCast we will hear from Dr. Jerry Kaifetz the author of Profaned Pulpit: The Jack Schaap Story. Dr. Kaifetz has first-hand information about just what it meant to be a member at First Baptist of Hammond and a friend of both Jack Hyles and Jack Schaap. Learn more about the book by visiting www.profanedpulpit.com. This will be a live broadcast and your phone calls are welcome.
On this latest edition of the KevCast, we welcome Pastor Chris Brauns, the author of Bound Together: How We are Tied to Others in Good and Bad Choices. "Our lives are woven together in such a way that the choices each one of us makes have an effect on the lives of others, both for good and for bad. Because much of the pain we endure in life is in the context of relationships, this truth often strikes us as unfair. Why should a child suffer because of the poor decisions of his or her parents? And on a grander scale, why do we all suffer the curse of Adam’s disobedience? Why should anyone be judged for someone else’s sin?" Perhaps these are questions you've wondered about yourself. Maybe you've struggled with the concept of a God who slaughters innocent women and children in Jericho or most of the human race in the Noahic flood. Is God unfair? If this is you, you need to tune this week! Tune in this week and hear Pastor Chris Brauns talk about the “principle of the rope” and how all of these situations actually point to a larger truth about sin and redemption. You can purchase a copy of Bound Together here and learn more about Pastor Chris on his blog here.
It has been said that readers are leaders. I think we all know that reading is important and is certainly something we ought to do, but it is one of those things that is just so easy to neglect. In our fast-paced lives reading hundreds of pages in an in-depth book just doesn’t seems as practical as the ease of reading 140 characters in a tweet or Facebook update. Yet, Christians were once known as “people of the Book.” The Bible is the very life-blood of the Christian faith. The essence of our salvation is found in the fact that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. God has chosen to reveal Himself through words, phrases, and sentences. So, how should the Christian view reading? In this podcast, our guest is Shaun Tabatt of Cross Focused Media. Shaun has a deep love for reading and works in the Christian publishing industry. He recently launched his own podcast, Author Talks in which he interviews Christian authors about their craft. Shaun also blogs at Bible Geek Gone Wild.
Almost 80% of Americans are connected to the internet, and over two billion people around the world are on the world wide web. The unimaginable amount of information and communication that is piped into our homes through high-speed cable and DSL connections provide us with opportunities unparalleled by any previous generation. We can now be instantly connected with friends and loved ones across the globe through Skype and Facebook while at the same time be kept up-to-date on breaking news stories and heated theological debates. Yet, this technological revolution also presents us with dangers and temptations we must constantly guard against. Even in the church, you have people hooked on immoral websites, children getting into life-threatening online relationships and the ever increasing loss of privacy we unwittingly seem to submit to without thought. So what are we to do? Today on the KevCast we welcome David Clark, author of the book You, Your Family and the Internet: What Every Christian in the Digital Age Ought to Know. With a degree in Computer Science and Electronics, David Clark has worked with computer technologies for more than thirty years and has carried out postgraduate research into the uses of Artificial Intelligence in the design of silicon chips. He has published a number of technical papers at various conferences, ranging from the use of Artificial Intelligence to Risk Analysis. Clark has also served on the boards of Evangelical Times and Evangelical Press. This will be a live broadcast and your questions about internet safety are welcome.
Is America headed over the "Fiscal Cliff"? What exactly will this mean for you and your wallet? Is there any way possible to avoid this mess as the Monday deadline approaches? These are just some of the questions we will pose to former Congressional candidate Peter Theron. Peter hols degrees in math and statistics from Princeton University and the University of Wisconsin. He also has taught statistics, mathematics, and computer science at UW-Madison, UW-Whitewater, and Beloit College. This is a live broadcast and we invite your phonecalls at (818) 431-8528. Of course you can also leave your comments in our live chatroom as well.
How does sinful man stand justified before a holy God? The Apostle Paul focuses especially on the doctrine in his epistle to the Galatians. On this episode of the KevCast, we are honored to have Terry Johnson, pastor of the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Georgia. Pastor Johnson has authored several books including a new commentary on the book of Galatians published by Christian Focus as part of their Mentor Expository Commentary series. Join us as first chat about the role commentaries play in the study life of pastors and laymen alike. From there we launch into our look at Galatians and discuss how fundamental the doctrine of justification by faith alone is and how we fight against the dual dangers of legalism and antinomianism. We conclude our time with a frank discussion on how the church plays its crucial role in the life of the believer. You will not want to miss this episode!
It seems as though in an increasingly individualized society. For years now we have been witness to the phenomenon of young people claiming to be spiritual but not wishing to tie themselves down to any time of organized religion. Among those willing to take on the Christian label, some still view the church as a hindrance to their individualized pursuit of God. Even within the church we often emphasize one’s personal walk with the Lord. Among all of this individualism we are missing out one of the greatest blessings and greatest expectations of the Christian faith – fellowship within the Body of Christ. This episode of the KevCast features my conversation with Thabiti Anyabwile (pastor of First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman) about his new book, The Life of God in the Soul of the Church: The Root and Fruit of Spiritual Fellowship. Listen in as we chat about fellowship in the church. Hear the answers to questions like: Is true fellowship possible in mega-churches? Why do I need the church if I have Christian fellowship in other settings? How can the church help in finding my spiritual gifts? What does it mean to sing to one another? You won’t want to miss this interview!
This week on the podcast we welcome Darrell Dow, creator of the Stuff Fundies Like blog. Each day Darrell takes a satirical look at the Baptist fundamentalism he once was a part of, poking fun and yet at the same time raising serious issues meant to provoke thought and consideration. Just this month Fundamental Flaws: Seven Things Independent Fundamental Baptists Get Wrong (And How to Fix Them), a short e-book, was released for Kindle readers. Join us for this conversation with Darrell Dow as he shares with us about his new book and what he hopes to accomplish with it. This will be a live broadcast and your participation is welcome! You can join the conversation by calling in at (818) 431-8528 or by leaving your comments in our live chat room.
Tune in to a special Monday night editon of the KevCast. Be ready to call in with your thoughts, opinons and predictions!
Earlier this year I was privileged to have the opportunity to welcome Jefferson Bethke into my classroom via Skype. Jefferson was gracious enough to talk with my students about his video, Why I hate Religion But Love Jesus. The video went viral overnight. Reactions were quick, and varied. While some thought it summed up exactly how they felt, many others (including myself) had some reservations and critiques. How did Jefferson handle his instant fame? How did he handle his critics? Does he want people to abandon all organized religion? Tune in this week and hear the answers to these questions and many more!
Recently I had the privilege of sitting down with John and Dody Martin, traveling artists with World Vision. World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. Primarily the ministry known for helping improverished communities accross the globe through child sponsorship. In this podcast we not only discuss the advantages and importance of child sponsorship through World Vision, but also discuss broader themes concerning the Christian and poverty. How does the gospel impact the importance of orphan care? Is it even wise to give money and supplies to areas suffering under a corrupt government? Join us this week as we discuss these issues and more!
Join us this week as the KevCast comes back! As most of you already know, today millions of Americans will be flocking to Chick-fil-A locations all over the US to show their support for a resturant willing to stand for the Biblical definition of marriage. Our guest this week will be David Smith of the Illiones Family Institute and Illionnes Family Action. While this controversy extends in all directions, Illiones has been the focus of much attention after Chicago mayor Rahm Emmanuel and Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno released statements that the fast food resturant was not welcome in their city because of its values. Listen in as we discuss the Chick-fil-A controversy and the state of religious tolerance in America.
Everyone is talking about the trial of Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant football coach accused of sexually molesting children entrusted to his care through his charitable organization. While many are covering the legal aspects of this trial or the cultural impact it may have, we will be discussing what I consider to be the most important part of this case, most often the forgotten part in the whole mess, the victims themselves. How do we deal with sexual abuse? As you all know, this problem is not limited to Penn State but reaches even into the doors of our local churches. We have seen how some churches decided they would rather cover up the issue by sending pedophile priests away to different parishes or even by rallying congregations to get behind their accused pastor. In all of these situations, the victims are ignored. In the worst of these situations, the victim is attacked. It is high time we in the faith community opened our eyes and dealt with this issue openly and publicly. Listen in to this edition of the KevCast as I air an exclusive interview with a well-known conservative author, advisor, activist, and talk show host, Michael Reagan. Reagan is probably most well known as being the adopted son of the late President Ronald Reagan but not many people realize that he is also a childhood sexual abuse victim. In this podcast you will hear the startling details of sexual abuse through the perspective of a victim still struggling from the ramifications. You will also hear answers to questions such as: what are the signs of a child who may be a victim of abuse? At what point should I contact the authorities if I am suspicious of abuse? How should parents do when they hear their child claim someone has been abusing them? How can I prevent my child from being sexually abused?
Recent years have seen the growth of a conservative group within Christianity that has been growing discontent as they witness the extremes of both Evangelical and Fundamentalist circles. They have a commitment to the gospel and no movement to call their own. Join us this week as we talk about this “Emerging Middle” as I air a previously recorded interview with Phil Johnson, executive director of the “Grace to You” with John MacArthur. Phil also writes for the Pyromaniac blog.
Have you found yourself contemplating committing adultery? Are you currently in an adulterous relationship? Have you been affected by an act of adultery? If you answered yes to any of these questions, No Innocent Affair: Making Right the Wrong of Adultery is the tool you need. An avid student of the Word, Ed Mrkvicka addresses the fact that adultery is one of the main contributors to the destruction of the American family and seeks to reverse this terrifying statistic. Mrkvicka posits that few who engage in adulterous relationships realize the enormity of the cost of infidelity, both to themselves and innocent people in their lives. Beginning by comparing God's view of adultery to society's view, No Innocent Affair explains in frank yet loving terms that unrepentant adultery is more than just an innocent affair. It is choosing Satan over Jesus and death over life. Mrkvicka desires to lead adulterers to repentance and eternal life with Jesus Christ. Most importantly, No Innocent Affair takes you on a step-by-step biblical progression that leads to the sin of adultery being forgiven and salvation reclaimed. Infidelity is no easy subject to discuss, but it is one that must be addressed. Follow along on this exploration of the consequences and ways out of adultery.
How do we pass on our faith to the next generation? In many churches today, the core doctrines of Christianity are diffused among flannel graphs and Veggie Tales leaving our children to chew on mere morality fables. However, this does not have to be the faith. In years past churches have used such tools as the catechism to instill the great doctrines of the faith to children who would be one day contending for them. Can children learn Bible doctrine? Dr. Bruce Ware says yes. In his book, Big Truths for Young Hearts, Dr. Ware helps parents take complex, hard-to-understand doctrines and explain them in such a way that even a child can begin to grasp them.
Join us this week as air a pre-recorded interview with Dr. Bruce Ware (professor of Christian theology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) about how to pass on our faith to the next generation.
The tragic murder of 17 year-old Trayvon Martin has stirred up a hornet’s nest of controversy as the ugly head of racism has once again been exposed. As we mourn this senseless killing we also forced to confront issues deemed uncomfortable by come and unwelcome by others. Both sides of the political spectrum have raised their heads as liberals call for stricter gun control laws and conservatives accuse the media of bias in its coverage of the slaying. However, how should Christians respond to this case in particular and issues of race in general? Join us for this for this live edition of the KevCast as we welcome to pastors not afraid to delve into controversial issues: Pastor Trevor Hammack of the Victory Baptist Church of Ovalo, Texas and Pastor Bob Bixby of Morning Star Church of Rockford, Illinois.
This week we have an interesting panel discussion I was privileged to moderate about month or so back at Rock Country Christian School where I teach.
The panel discussed some questions submitted by our students but I believe these are questions many Christians find themselves asking. Topics bantered around include salvation, sanctification, homosexuality and free will. Our discussions were lively and edifying so I thought I would share it with all of you, my internet followers and groupies. This distinguished panel featured Pastor Tim Johnson (Rock Valley Chapel - Beloit, WI), Youth Pastor Cory Williams (Central Christian Church - Beloit, WI) and Phil Schomber - editor of Virtual Clarity Magazine.
Listen in to a panel of evangelicals discuss their thoughts on the 2012 presidential race on the eve of the Iowa Caucus. Panelists Include: Joshua Caucutt - Pastoral Assistant, Denver Sound Church, Co-Host of the Sound Church Guys Video Podcast Thomas Haskins - Author, In the Words of Our Founding Fathers Dan Horvatin - TEA Party Leader, Rock River Patriots
Pastors know everything, right? That's why they are pastors afterall... Sometimes, that's exactly how we think. Yet, the truth is, pastors, teachers and other such Christian workers must constantly be growing and maturing as they too walk with the Lord. So, how does someone in vocational Christian ministry grow in their knowledge while leading others at the same time? How can a church leader change their position or ministry philosophy without either compromising or losing the trust of their people? These are just some of the topics we'll be discussing on this KevCast. Join us live as we chat with Pastor Greg Locke of the Global Vision Bible Church of Mt. Juliet, TN. You can call in live with your questions on this topic or leave your comments in our live chatroom.
Join us this week as we welcome Amy Contrada, the author of The Mitt Romney Deception. In the book, Amy details one more Romney flip-flop, homosexual marraige. Romney says he opposed granting marriage status to same sex couples, yet while Governor of Massachusetts, Romney actually enacted what he claimed to oppose.
Throughout this election cycle, Republicans have been looking for anyone but Mitt Romney. Tune in this week and find out why.
This will be a live broadcast. Your phonecalls are welcome and encouraged!
In a sermon entitled, “Radical Faith” Pastor Michael Carl shares some thoughts about the current state of the Evagelical church suffering from a prosperity gospel that actually leads us far away from the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. After the message was over, Pastor Carl joined us live to give us some final thoughts on his message and further opined concerning his thoughts toward the methodology of such popular evangelical figures like Rick Warren, Bill Hybles and Joel Olsteen. The program was so jam-packed that we didn’t even have time to get to some the questions posed in our real-time chat room.
If you are in a good church, you are blessed to hear great sermons from the Word of God flowing from your pulpit each week. But, what if you were asked to deliver one of these sermons? What if some Saturday night you got that dreaded call asking if you would be willing to fill-in for a sick Sunday school teacher? Would you even know where to start? Many mature Christians with no formal training find themselves in this situation more often than you would think. How Sermons Work is a practical guide to art of Homiletics, the study of preaching. This how-to manual is written not only for the “ordinary” Christian, but is also beneficial for seminarians and Bible college students who find themselves struggling to communicate all the theological truths swirling around in their heads. If you’ve ever wondered about how sermons are supposed to work, this program is for you! Join us this Saturday morning for the premier episode of the KevCast! Joining us for this special occasion is Dr. David Murray of the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary in Grand Rapids, MI. In addition to his seminary teaching, Dr. Murray is the author of How Sermon Work and president of HeadHeartHand. Listen in as I talk with Dr. Murray about his book and hear some valuable thoughts on how to improve your preaching ministry.