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This seems to be a hot topic these days. After all, it is easy to read someone else’s message on Sunday morning. And AI can write sermons. Also, AI tools now can examine every word every preacher speaks for unattributed quotes or content. It’s daunting to think that members of congregation can be using tools on their phones to evaluate the words of the preacher as he speaks. This can lead to unrealistic expectations and a misunderstanding of the nature of preaching verses the published word or academic paper. So, a few words are in order now, and a fuller development of the subject should follow later. Please read or listen to the end before you criticize.Originality in preaching should not be an expectation.The word of God has been exegeted by hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of preachers over the 2000 years of church history. Libraries are filled with books that explain passages both directly and indirectly. The Word we are commanded to preach is finite in content—bound within the 66 books of the Bible. We are commanded to preach the word of God—not our own creative thoughts or ideas. What should alarm a congregation on Sunday is not when their preacher says things that others have also said, it is when he says things that no other has ever said (someone else said this before me, but I don’t know who). …Read the rest of the article here or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

If you are a pastor, please read all of this. If you are not, please forward it to your pastor. He needs to hear it. And of course, read it yourself.Discouraging times need an encouraging message.The end of the first century was coming to a close. John, the last remaining Apostle was in exile on Patmos, and Jesus had not yet returned. With the passing of each year and the martyrdom of the Apostles, the hope of the 1st Century church wavered. At first, they expected Him to come at any time. Then, as time passed, they surely expected the time to be closer. But now John is coming to the end of his earthly sojourn and Christ will not return in His glory before the Apostolic age ends.Not only that, but the church had also endured several seasons of persecution—first under the Jews, then Nero, and now under Domitian.In this setting Jesus speaks these words of encouragement and challenge to His people. This message is intended for the churches of John’s day, but also for all the churches of the age between the close of the canon and the ultimate return of Christ.It is for us.The Jesus who was, who is, and who is to come.The self-descriptions of Jesus in Revelation 1 are profound. He is the timeless one. He is the Alpha and Omega. He is the beginning and the end. He is the first and the last. He is the one who was, who is, and who is to come. He is the one who lives, was dead, and now lives forevermore. …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

A pastor outside the FBFI once asked me that question. He could not understand why the chaplaincy is such an important part of the FBFI.For many who are hunkered down in the day-to-day battle of local church ministry, the military chaplaincy seems light years away. Community chaplains sometimes have contact with local churches, and some of our local church pastors are having rich ministry as community chaplains with police departments, fire departments, hospitals, and other organizations. However, many pastors and church members do not understand the enormity of the responsibility and opportunity that the chaplaincy is for us.Canadian Military Chaplains can’t mention God in public.In an August 12, 2026 article in Christianity Today, Adam MacInnis explained a new directive from Canadian Military leadership. …Read the rest of the article here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m joined by my friend, Dave Huffstutler. Dave wrote an article for the July/August edition of FrontLine which was about growing churches: “Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church.”Dave’s article is about “Four Features of Church Growth in Acts.” Dave isn’t giving us “four principles for success” or “the Acts formula” for church growth. Rather he is observing features of growing church life in the book of Acts that parallel the kinds of church life we want to foster in our own churches.We had a wide-ranging discussion on many aspects of church life. It was a blessing to talk to Dave about it, then to think through it again in the editing process. In the interview, I mentioned our own church’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebration. Well, that “upcoming” turns out to be last Sunday, so we are moving now into our 41st year. The things we talked about in the conversation are things we have tried to do in our church and, really, every Bible-believing church tries to do all the time. It’s helpful to think about them again and ask ourselves questions about how we are doing and how we could be perhaps doing a little better in some areas of our own church life.Well, that’s enough from me. I’ll get into my conversation with Dave in just a moment, but first, let me remind you that Dave’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.And now for my interview with Dave Huffstutler.The Article:Four Features of Church Growth in Acts: Rediscovering the New Testament PatternThe Contents & Editorial for the July/August FrontLine:FrontLine: Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

“Sin is at the root of most psychological problems.” -- Gilbert FremontAs I rode to a Diamondbacks baseball game with some men from our church last night, we began discussed about all the billboards advertising accident lawyers. You know the bunch. They are nationwide. Sweet James out of California, Morgan and Morgan out of Florida, and many more. I am old enough to remember when lawyers weren’t allowed to advertise. I am not sure that the commercialization of the legal profession has helped much or made the courts any more effective in producing justice.Now it’s the therapist’s turn. “Mental health” issues have almost become a badge of honor today. Insurance companies are covering it, and they are now advertising. The marketing strategy for the industry seems to be what it has been for most other products through the years.“Everybody needs to have one.”Really? …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m joined by my friend, Ryan Martin. He’s writing in the July/August edition of FrontLine which was about growing churches: “Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church.” Ryan’s article is on Jonathan Edwards and David Brainerd and what we can learn from their long-ago approach to ministry and apply it to modern churches today.I guess every church wants to grow. We all have many friends and family members we would love to see come to Christ and join the fellowship. Our neighbours, too! The more folks who come to Christ and join the local church, the better church life becomes.There are many obstacles, and we can learn from how men in the past faced obstacles as we evangelize in the present. Ryan Martin helps us discern some of the good examples these men set for us.Before we get into the discussion, let me remind you that Ryan’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Article:Edwards and Brainerd on Church Growth: Rediscovering Historical InsightThe Contents & Editorial for the July/August FrontLine:FrontLine: Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

In an article published this week in Torah.com, Jack Sasson asked an interesting question.“Why is ‘Do not covet’ in the decalogue?’”The Decalogue forbids patently reprehensible acts, but the prohibition against coveting is a potentially victimless offense and is the only one that exclusively addresses men. Moreover, this tenth commandment has no clear parallels in ancient Near Eastern law.As we trace through the Commandments in Exodus 20, all are public, outwardly discernible sins with offended parties—divine, human, or both.The first four commandments (Exodus 20:3-11) demand fealty to Jehovah. It must be exclusive—no polytheism. It must not be expressed in idol worship. He must be honored in all speech. He must be honored specifically on the Sabbath.The next five commandments in verses 12-16 are one-another commands that protect people from people. Honor your parents. Do not murder. Honor marriage and remain faithful to your spouse. Do not take what is not yours. Do not commit perjury, damaging your neighbor.But then comes that last commandment (Exodus 20:17), which is about a heart attitude—about desire. After noting that this commandment is exclusively addressed to men (It doesn’t mention coveting your neighbor’s husband, and women could not own property in the ancient Near Eastern world), Sasson says this about this commandment.Another oddity makes the Tenth Commandment stand out from the others: The previous commandments forbid patently reprehensible acts such as stealing, murdering, kidnapping, or committing perjury. By contrast, coveting in the Tenth Commandment is an emotional capitulation to intense envy, remediable only through introspection and self-examination.It is truly a commandment about jealousy and envy and is at the heart of all biblical sin. This might be one of the most important commandments of all. …For the rest of this post click here: Covetousness: The Different Commandment - Proclaim & Defend… or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

My father entered heaven in January of 2021. For our family, it was a traumatic experience.The Covid-19 virus spread through our church rapidly in December of 2020. We had to cancel services because there were no pastoral staff members healthy enough to lead. My father contracted the disease in that wave. He fought it off for several weeks at home before his low blood oxygen level demanded he go to the hospital. But even in the hospital, he did not improve.No one in our family was allowed to visit him there. Once he was moved to ICU, even my daughter, a nurse in that same hospital, was refused access to him. We communicated regularly with doctors and nurses and with him. He was intubated for several weeks, and then eventually weaned off the machine. Even off the ventilator, he still needed a pressurized mask to breathe.Dad had a hard time in the hospital separated from family. He was struggling for every breath and he was alone. On the day he died, we were Facetiming him and we listed to a doctor and nurse pressure him to remove his mask and die. I confronted them both by video and demanded that they stop trying to convince him to give up and die. They kept saying things like, “you might get better, but your health will never be the same.” They said they were just trying to be honest with him, but in the desperation of that moment, that was not honesty, it was pressure to give up. Eventually he asked for the mask to be removed, and with his hand he signed “I love you” to our family, before he breathed his last. …Read the rest of this post here: End of Life Decisions and the Christian Family - Proclaim & Defend… or just listen to the podcast! Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

With this podcast we introduce the July/August edition of FrontLine magazine. The associate editor for this edition was Mark Herbster.The theme was Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church — the point of this podcast is to explain what Mark and the authors were after in fleshing out the theme.To summarize though, there are two extremes in looking at church growth. There is the extreme of going after numerical growth almost at any cost. In reaction to that is the extreme of disdaining growth and becoming too inward focused. Our writers are focusing on a balance between the extremes.Normally, we publish an article in connection with the podcast. However, this time we have already published the introduction to this edition of FrontLine on Proclaim & Defend. You will find the link here in our show notes.Before we turn to this interview, let me encourage you to subscribe to our Substack or to FrontLine magazine itself. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the July/August FrontLine:FrontLine: Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Romans 13:7The powers that be are ordained of God.Every person in this room who names Christ experientially is part of two Kingdoms. We are all part of the Kingdom of God and we will enjoy together the blessings of that future Kingdom when Jesus Christ reigns. But we also have been placed by God in this country and at this time by His wisdom and Providential choice. He has done so for His glory, for His purpose, and for our good. And today, in spite of the political climate, social woes, and sinfulness that surrounds us, we should take the time to be thankful.Last weekend, we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. As far as nations go in the history of the world, we are still an infant nation. And yet, so much has transpired in such a short time.We have survived and thrived.Our nation has seen the advancement and experimentation of governmental practices in a way not seen since dawn of the history of mankind. We endured numerous wars, and a Civil War with more American casualties than all other American wars combined. We endured the 20th Century, its World Wars, genocides, and communist upheaval. With 231 million people dying in war in that century, it was, by far, the bloodiest in recorded history, and yet we, as a nation not only remain, but remain strong.We have seen technological advances like no other. My grandfather courted my grandmother in a horse drawn cart, today couples fly in just a few hours to distant places of the world for their weddings. They travel to and from airports in self-driving vehicles with computerized brains that were impossible to imagine even just a few years ago. Rockets fly into space nearly every day, tens of thousands of satellites circle our planet. Our healthcare system is the best in human history, and the best in world today in spite of whatever flaws it might have.Our nation, these United States of America, is far from perfect—even from the beginning. We were founded on the principles of liberty and justice, but we have had to struggle continuously to secure those ideals with conflict, blood and tears. Those battles continue to this day. Every generation must fight its own battles to preserve freedom.We enjoy God’s abundance.This is not a perfect nation because we are far from a perfect people, but it is a blessed nation. We are blessed with some of the most beautiful and plentiful natural resources of any nation on earth. Our farms are rich and vibrant, orchards are heavy with fruit, fields nourish millions of domesticated animals necessary for our survival. We are a nation rich in mineral resources and could live independently from the rest of the world should we so choose. Our 68 national parks and 138 national monuments preserve the beauty of our Creator’s handiwork for everyone to enjoy, even those who do not acknowledge Him. Our borders are free from the threat of invading militaries because of our unique geography. These are the undeserved gifts of God. …Read the rest of this post here: Thank God for Liberty - Proclaim & Defend… or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

The Jewish Curse“His blood be upon us and upon our children.”In the past week, the ousted President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, blamed his election loss on cheating and interference by Israel. At the same time, he had repeatedly called his opponents fascists. And no, it doesn’t make sense.It seems popular today to blame nearly everything bad in the world on Israel, and sometimes the Jews broadly. Antisemitism is alive and well, and it is rooted in church history.When Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire, he set the stage for modern antisemitism. It existed before that time—the Book of Esther is an example. While the 1st Century New Testament Church was made up of converted Jews and gentiles, the 1st Century Jewish persecution of the Church did not produce fraternal feelings between the two religions (Romans 12:28). Early church history records the struggles.Once the Church became entwined with the state, Christian baptism became a qualification for citizenship (in the late 4th century) and the Jewish communities within the Roman Catholic sphere became outsiders.While modern Catholics argue that antisemitism is not part of historic Church dogma, that idea is incongruent with the fact that the victims of the Spanish Inquisition were “unorthodox” Christians and Jews.…Read the rest of this post here: The Jewish Curse - Proclaim & Defendor just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today we are going to begin discussing the July/August edition of FrontLine, it is coming out in a few days, but I feel the need to keep the podcast going so we will get started a little ahead of publication.The early summer is challenging for the podcast as summer travel schedules get in the way of conducting interviews with our authors. I still have a couple of conversations to record from the May/June edition, but we will just fill them in as they come.Today’s conversation is with Matt Walker. He is the pastor of College Park Baptist Church in Cary, North Carolina. I would say he is an innovative thinker which you will pick up on as you listen to the conversation. The subject of this issue of FrontLine is about growing the church, “Built to Grow” is the title.Matt’s burden is for church planting. He suggests that our goal in building churches should be building more churches. It’s hard to argue with that when you consider the patterns the apostles set for us in the New Testament.I hope our conversation gives you some ideas about the growth of your own church and ways in which you can reach your community and beyond.Before we get into that, let me remind you that Matt’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the May/June FrontLine:FrontLine: Built to Grow: Understanding and Advancing the Mission of the Church [coming soon]The Article:Multiplication Through Division: Rediscovering Reproduction Through Church Planting Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Beware the lies of theological liberalism — or, as they like to call themselves today, progressive Christianity.While most theologically conservative pastors would prefer to focus on teaching the Word faithfully and avoid directly addressing political controversies from the pulpit, there are times when the discussion is unavoidable. This is one of those times.Andrew Daugherty, a pastor writing for Salon, took on the Christian right in a defense of Texas Senate candidate James Talarico. Talarico is the openly gay Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Texas who claims to be a Christian and often quotes Scripture as part of his defense of progressive political views. What we have here is a case of theological liberalism defending political progressivism and condemning conservative Christians to do so. …Read the whole article here:The Lies of Theological Liberalism in American Politics - Proclaim & Defend… or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today I’m joined by my friend, pastor Mike Ascher, who serves as pastor of Good News Baptist Church in Chesapeake, Virginia. Mike is also an FBFI-endorsed police chaplain.His article appeared in the May/June edition of FrontLine and was called: “No Kings”? A Christian Perspective on Government “Rulers”This article appeared in the middle section of the magazine, the part we call the “Pastor’s Insert.” The articles in this section usually don’t touch on the main theme of the FrontLine edition that they appear in.Mike’s article is drawn from current events. He is addressing an issue that we see roiling the public these days as protesters are worked up about the government they have and seem to think protest is the right way to go about changing it. Some of these protests can turn violent, which concerns everyone.Mike’s burden is that Christians adopt a biblical view of our relation to authority and properly reflect God’s viewpoint rather than the “mob-induced” mentality we see in our streets and seemingly all over the internet these days.I hope you find our discussion helpful.Let me remind you that Mike’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the May/June FrontLine:FrontLine: The Future of Missions – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:“No Kings”? A Christian Perspective on Government “Rulers” Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

If you are truly Christians—both bride and groom—then you should plan a Christian wedding. And both bride and groom should be Christians, but that is another article. The idea that wedding magazines, Pinterest, and bridal websites set the standards and practices for Christian weddings is an abomination. Brides to be (and moms!), stop letting that stuff form your view of what a Christian wedding should be.Here are four commonly held ideas about weddings that run contrary to the teaching of the scripture. This article is intended to free young couples from the bondage of meeting worldly expectations and open them up to the true, beautiful joys of a Christian wedding.It’s the bride’s day.“How dare you tell her she can’t do that! It’s her day! She should be able to do whatever she wants to do.” said the mother of the bride.Really? Is a Christian wedding supposed to be all about the bride? For Christians every day is the Lord’s Day. Every decision is the Lord’s decision. Everything we do must glorify Him. The “It’s her day” thinking is either worldly brainwashing about what a wedding is supposed to be, or it is evidence of an overall unchristian worldview. …Read the whole post here or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We are picking up again with an interview from the May/June edition of FrontLIne, which is on the theme, “The Future of Missions.”Our conversation today is with Keith Kobelia, one of the professors at Faith Baptist Bible College and Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa. His article is called “Is Missions Work ‘Kingdom Building’?” We’ll get into the details of that in the discussion.What Keith is doing is laying some groundwork for our Biblical philosophy of missions. It seems there is a lot of confusion among broader Christianity that includes all kinds of different relief efforts and addressing social needs as “mission” work. While sometimes those sorts of things have value in getting an audience for the gospel, they aren’t the same thing as fulfilling the Great Commission.Keith is calling for a Biblical understanding of the Kingdom in contrast to the Great Commission. Our mission is the Great Commission. The Kingdom as such comes later, and our efforts should be focused on making disciples and building up the Lord’s church.We’ll turn to our conversation next, but let me remind you that Keith’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the May/June FrontLine:FrontLine: The Future of Missions – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:Is Missions Work “Kingdom Building”? Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

“In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, David sent Joab out with the king’s men and the whole Israelite army. They destroyed the Ammonites and besieged Rabbah. But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful” (2 Samuel 11:1–2).What was David thinking?David did not wake up that morning thinking to himself, “This is the day that I am going to sin against my God, destroy the life of my faithful servant, defile my neighbor, bring shame upon myself, and wreak wickedness in my family.”He did not plan to sin.Destructive, life-changing sin can happen in a moment. One day—one decision—can change the trajectory of your life and your family for generations.Compare David and JosephIn similar circumstances, David fell while Joseph escaped. What was the difference? We can learn from both of these men before we make wrecks of our lives. …Read the rest of the post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

“Pastor, pastor—I just met my surgeon, and guess what? He is a CHRISTIAN!”I must bite my tongue in the moment, but I’m thinking to myself,“But is he a good surgeon?”I have heard similar comments about mechanics, real estate agents, dentists, financial managers, and more. Don’t get me wrong, there are advantages, in many instances, to consulting a professional who shares your values. But there is more to the decision than that. It is much better to have an excellent brain surgeon who is an unbeliever than a mediocre one who claims to be a believer.In scary or difficult situations, it is easy to seek comfort over competency. People who share our values make us feel comfortable. A few years ago, our son underwent a 12-hour brain tumor surgery. When we met the surgeon for the first time, he was somewhat socially awkward and gave no indication of being a believer.I suppose we could have asked everyone we knew to help us find a Christian brain surgeon. I’m sure there are some out there—and probably some very good ones. But this surgeon was one of the top doctors in the world for this procedure. We have one of the top neurological hospitals in the country here in Phoenix, and they all said he was the right person for the job. …Read the whole post here: The Dangers of Doing Business with “Christians” or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

With this episode we begin a look at the May/June edition of FrontLIne, which is on the theme, “The Future of Missions.”We are getting a few interviews together but will be posting on two week intervals at the moment. Some of our writers are traveling and our conversations with them will be delayed.Our first interview is with veteran missionary, Glen Galbraith. He spent around twenty years in Britain in a church planting ministry. He is now on Baptist Mid-Mission’s recruitment team. I was very pleased to meet him online, as we have several personal connections and some similar ministry experience.Glen’s article is called, “Missions: Are We Doing It Right?” The article is not meant to pontificate about new and improved methods. Rather, it is meant to ask questions that we should all ask about our own ministries for the Lord. Times change and cultures differ and we need to find ways to get out God’s word in the culture in which we find ourselves. We aren’t simply pragmatists, looking for “what works.” The main thing we want in ministry is to get a hearing for the gospel. The Holy Spirit can take care of the rest. Sometimes our biases, the “way we’ve always done it,” can get in the way of getting that hearing. So, asking the question, “Are we doing it right?” helps us to adjust as our surroundings and culture changes.Well, that’s enough from me. Let me remind you that Glen’s article is available on our Substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the May/June FrontLine:FrontLine: The Future of Missions – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:Missions: Are We Doing It Right? Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

The idea is nothing new. The French mathematician and philosopher Rene DeCartes questioned everything because he surmised that insane people cannot distinguish between reality and fantasy—and maybe we are all insane. The only thing he knew for sure was that he had the ability to doubt. That meant his only certainty was that he alone existed. Everything else was uncertain.Pilate asked the famous question of Jesus when confronted with Jesus’ messianic claim.“What is truth?”Post-modernism is built on earlier deconstructionism that—while not always denying that truth exists--did deny that it was attainable with any certainty.But with AI and social media, the level of doubt and denial has hit a new level. …Read the whole post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Growing up in church, I heard this parable preached often. There were good applications made from the text such as the fact that there will be accountability one day for what God has entrusted to us, and that God only expects us to work with what He has given us. All of these are applications made to Church Age Christians about faithful stewardship. But deeper study of the parable makes me wonder if that is the point that Jesus was intended to make when He used this literary device.How does the context impact the primary application?Jesus is speaking to the Jews in the story. The intended audience of the Book of Matthew is the Jews. This story is part of a set of three parables—all with similar scenarios. The arrangement and construction of the parables indicate all three parables are intended to be seen together and drive home a main point, or at least closely related points.If the parable is intended for believers and about stewardship, how are we to interpret the punishment for the unprofitable steward in Matthew 25:29-30? …Read the rest of the article here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

I had planned to publish this episode last week but we received the conversation between Mike Riley and Ryan Martin promoting the upcoming Conference on the Church for God’s Glory. We wanted to get that out to promote the conference. If you missed it, check back to last week and listen. If you are able to attend, please register now.This week we are publishing an interview with Kevin Bauder, on his article in the March/April FrontLine called “Israel, Palestinian Arabs, and Christian Attitudes.”As Dispensationalists, we at the FBFI strongly support Israel in many ways. We believe that God still has a program for Israel that will come to its conclusion in the last days. It is still important, however, to define what we mean by our support of Israel in these times.The most important aspects of our support have to do with Biblical Israel as the heirs of God’s promise to Abraham. That support spills over into other areas of life, including the political that is so much in the news these days.In his article and in this interview, Kevin Bauder helps us to define terms and sort through the history and theology of the question.He also recommended several books which we include in our show notes.Kevin’s article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.And now for my interview with Kevin Bauder.Book Recommendations:Three Faces of Antisemitism (Studies in Contemporary Antisemitism) Jeffrey HerfFUTURE ISRAEL: Why Christian Anti-Judaism must be challenged Barry E. HornerJerusalem: A Biblical and Historical Case for the Jewish Capital Jay SekulowSon of Hamas: A Gripping Account of Terror, Betrayal, Political Intrigue, and Unthinkable Choices Mosab Hassan YousefAlso please check out:Baptists for Israel InstituteThe Contents & Editorial for the March/April FrontLine:Is Conservatism Enough? – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:Israel, Palestinian Arabs, and Christian Attitudes Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (Matthew 24:30-31)This passage certainly contains imagery reminiscent of the rapture passages of scripture in the Thessalonian Epistles and 1 Corinthians 15. But it creates some chronological questions about the timing of the event. Jesus clearly says that the event described in Matthew 24 happens in conjunction with the return of the Son of Man to set up the Kingdom—not before or somewhere in the middle of Daniel’s 70th week. So, the passage does require some further study.Audience of the Book of MatthewAlmost all Bible scholars agree that the intended audience of the book of Matthew is Israelon. Jesus’ birth story is filled with descriptions of answered prophecy. The Sermon on the Mount is focused on living in the Kingdom. It not only expresses what God truly expects of His people, but is intended to give the Jewish people a longing for the Kingdom. When the disciples are sent out in Matthew 10, they are specifically instructed NOT to go to the gentiles, but only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel and they are to preach that the Kingdom is at hand. …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Our podcast today is another special edition. This time I invited Mike Riley and Ryan Martin to come on to promote the upcoming Conference on the Church for God’s Glory to be held in Rockford, Illinois, on Monday, May 18, 2026 from 10 AM to 7 PM.This year’s theme is Dispensationalism, Israel, and the Nations.The topic is relevant to today’s headlines. You will come away from this conference with a lot of thoughtful, biblical instruction and a day of good fellowship and stimulating conversations. If you are able, I encourage you to attend.Here is the conference Website:The Conference on the Church for God’s GloryAnd of course, here are our own websites where you can find our various ministries:Foundations Baptist Fellowship International | Contending for the Faith Once DeliveredProclaim & Defend – a ministry of the FBFI Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

How Shall We Then Live? Francis Schaeffer addressed transformed thinking in his classic film series and book. He traced changing patterns of thought through time and the impact Christianity has had on Western culture.It’s clear that God expects His people to think differently than the unredeemed populace. Paul states it clearly in Romans 12:1-2.I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.But this command leaves us with a question.How do we change the way that we think?We live in a post-modern culture that believes truth is fluid. If there is any truth at all, it swishes and sways with the winds of culture. Because of that, the only thing that is real to most people is what they feel. Their feelings tell them to what to think about everything. This explains the insanity we see and hear all around us. It is Satanic and the opposite of what the word of God teaches.I was speaking with the President of an evangelical Christian College recently. He said that his school seeks to trace the progress of growth in the biblical worldview of students. They work with George Barna to measure their progress (you can get more info about the assessment tool here). Their testing indicates that the professing believers who enter this college as freshmen have a worldview that is almost indistinguishable from the general secular culture. These students claim to be Christians, but they do not think like Christians. They do not see the world around them like Christians should see it. This school works hard to inculcate a biblical worldview in the minds of students who have not learned it from the Christian homes or churches, and they are having good success based upon the tools they use to measure progress.Based upon their findings, typical evangelicals are failing in discipling their children for Christ. How are our homes and churches failing in teaching biblical worldview to our children who grow up in our churches? Let’s consider a few things. …Read the rest of the article here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Our podcast today is another special presentation, which is to say it is not connected to a FrontLine article. Our guest is a regular contributor, Gordon Dickson. In recent weeks, Gordon has written several articles on a concept he calls the “G.R.A.C.E. framework.” The acronym first represented to him a way of expressing the gospel to the lost, especially emphasizing a missing note that I think can cause us to stumble when solely relying on older gospel presentations we have learned. It is not that those presentations are wrong (far from it!!). Rather, what his framework does is supply a missing first step that sometimes starts us off on the wrong foot with someone we are speaking to when it is omitted.However, the G.R.A.C.E. framework is more than just presenting the gospel. It is a way of expressing a Biblical worldview. In a recent meeting, Gordon and some of our other brethren presented papers applying the framework to various hot current topics: Transgenderism, Entertainment, Suicidal Ideation, Immigration, Artificial Intelligence, and “PTSD” as it is called. Using the G.R.A.C.E. framework (G-R-A-C-E) to think through these issues creates a fresh way of looking at them that not only help our own thinking about them, but equip us with language to engage our world on these topics and turn those conversations into gospel occasions.Over the next few months, we hope to present podcast interviews with at least some of the authors of these papers and discuss the topics they wrote on. These interviews will come as we are able to fit them in, but I think you will find them very helpful when we do.To start off with, I am going to give you this interview with Gordon where we discuss his introductory paper on the topic. We will give you access to the whole paper here, it won’t be behind our paywall. We will also link to several other articles Gordon has written on the topic.He has one other article on it in our current March/April edition of FrontLine. For that, you will need a subscription, so of course we encourage you to subscribe. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.And now for my interview with Gordon Dickson.Free article from Gordon:Five Principles to Exercise Your Mind as You Read Your BibleOther articles from Gordon:How Do I Start Sharing the Gospel in This New Year?It’s Your Destiny: Don’t Make This MistakeYou Know It’s Time: Here’s How to Catch UpGordon’s book, mentioned in the podcast:Trust: What religions don’t tell you but God wants you to knowIf you could ask God a question, what would you ask Him? Most people would ask,“WHY?” “Why am I here?”“Why are all these painful things happening to me and tothe people I love?”Sometimes life is so difficult that it makes us wonder: does God love us? Is He really in control of things?Something inside you is telling you that there ought to be real meaning in life. Where can you find it?This book will help you find real answers to these important questions and many more.Image created with Adobe Express. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

I saw the following story engraved on a plaque on a wall at a Christian University I toured last week. It reminded me that treating believer’s baptism as an optional step for a new Christian is a grave mistake. This is the summary of the story.Visitors have come to the Arizona desert in the wintertime for decades seeking relief from the freezing temperatures of the Northeast and Midwest. Throughout the years, Cave Creek Arizona has been one of the destinations of the rich and famous. First Baptist Church of Cave Creek (no longer meeting as a congregation) had a unique opportunity to minister to some of these people. It was a small congregation with baptist convictions and conservative values.One Sunday a media personality along with his bride made his way up the dusty road to worship services at this little church. He was a big deal in those days--known nationwide and at the height of his career. On this occasion, he was on vacation, he was tired, and feeling quite empty inside. Success in his chosen profession had proven ineffective in satisfying the drought in his soul.According to his later testimony, there were only a dozen or so worshipers in attendance that day. For the Sunday sermon, the country preacher chose to expound on the importance of believer’s baptism. Many years before the man trusted Christ as Savior while alone in his bedroom. But now, the conviction mounted that he had never obediently followed the Lord in baptism. He walked the aisle that day, surrendering to this important step of obedience for a believer. …The rest of the article is here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

The accounts of Resurrection Sunday morning in scripture seem to indicate that the resurrection of Jesus bodily from the tomb was a surprise—to the women who went there, to the disciples, and to Jerusalem. Mary supposed Jesus was the gardener and asked him where they had taken Jesus’ body. It’s understandable that someone rising from the dead would be an event doubted by most people, but the evidences of this event should have been there to see. This was not an unexpected miracle but rather a prophecy meticulously made and fulfilled in the eyes of all.The Old Testament predicted the resurrection.The only thing necessary to see the prophecy of the resurrection in the Old Testament is to believe that Isaiah 53 is messianic. The chapter traces in wonderfully poetic fashion the Story of a divine substitute who grows up in anonymity (verses 1-3), …Read the rest of this post here: The Resurrection of Jesus Should Not Have Been a Surprise – Proclaim & Defend — or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today we continue discussing our latest edition of FrontLine, the March/April issue focused on the topic, “Is Conservativism Enough?”This week, we are talking to Bud Steadman, who is now a “Missions Mentor” with Baptist World Mission, previously serving as the Executive Director of the Mission and before that spending many years in the pastorate. He is also currently Chairman of the FBFI Board and a good friend, as I too spent many years serving under Baptist World Mission.His topic is “The Ultimate Failure of the Moral Majority.” This is a look back at what seemed to be a burgeoning Christian movement into politics in the eighties. It succeeded in getting Christians involved in politics, but as an organization it collapsed in on itself, with its leaders spinning off into other related political organizations.Dr. Steadman evaluates the history of the movement and its problems as a lesson to Christians and their involvement in politics in our present day. If you are a regular listener to this podcast, you would share with us and with the Moral Majority in similar kinds of political concern. The question remains, however, how should we work to solve those political concerns?Dr. Steadman attempts to answer that question from the history of the Moral Majority. It provides at least a cautionary tale for us. We should not make the same mistakes now, and we certainly should be clear on the every day mission of the church. Jesus gave us our mission and we can’t sacrifice the mission for politics, no matter how admirable the political goals might be.I hope you find our discussion helpful.Bud Steadman’s article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.Bonus link: FBFI Statement on Christian Nationalism – Proclaim & DefendThe Contents & Editorial for the March/April FrontLine:Is Conservatism Enough? – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:The Ultimate Failure of the Moral Majority Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Pharisees were the religious megastars of Jesus’ day. They were generally viewed by the populace as deeply committed, genuinely spiritual, and on fire for the Law of Moses. To us, the word Pharisee is synonymous with hypocrite or religious legalist, but much of that is the result of what the gospels later said about them, not what people thought of them at the time. In our context, they would sell books, attract lots of followers on social media, and have lots of adoring fans. There have been such popular “Christians” in recent years that turned out to be fakes. Jesus sees through all of that. He knew their hearts—just like He knows mine.In Matthew 23, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees severely. He describes them as hypocrites only interested in what people think, and then declares eight woes upon them. It might be interesting to see how Jesus’ rebuke of the Pharisees in Matthew 23 compares with the Talmud’s criticism of the Pharisees written between 300 and 500 years later (https://chavrutai.com/talmud/Sotah/22b).The Talmud says that there are seven types of false Pharisees. …Read the rest of this post here or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today we introduce our latest edition of FrontLine, the March/April issue focused on the topic, “Is Conservativism Enough?” Last week, we posted an interview with one of the authors, David Saxon.This week, we are talking to the Associate Editor of this edition, Gordon Dickson. He also contributed an article called “Christ or Conservatism?” which will be part of our discussion.We are living in troubled times. The political left increasingly attacks the pillars of our civilization, especially those Christians hold near and dear. How should we counter their attacks? Should we counter their attacks? How much time should Christians give to any political involvement we might take part in? What is the mission of the church, after all?These are the kinds of questions we are addressing in this issue of the magazine. I hope you will pick up a copy and think carefully about the work of our authors on the subject.For this interview, here are the key topics:* The relationship between biblical Christianity and political conservatism* The danger of merging gospel with political ideologies* The importance of gospel transformation over societal reformGordon’s article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.And now for my interview with Gordon Dickson.Bonus link: FBFI Statement on Christian Nationalism – Proclaim & DefendThe Contents & Editorial for the March/April FrontLine:Is Conservatism Enough? – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:Christ or Conservatism? - the Proclaim & Defend Podcast Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

“Is God for us or for them?”God is not a Republican. He is certainly not a Democrat. He is also not American. He is not Canadian, Russian, Ukrainian, British, French, Egyptian, Iraqi or Iranian. Shockingly, He is also not Israeli. Jesus was Jewish (and from the tribe of Judah) by blood, but that is different than present political nationality.Our tendency in any conflict--be it a war or political fight--is to claim that God is on our side. There seems to be biblical precedent for making such a claim. In Haggai 1:13 the prophet makes the incredible claim that God is on their side.Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people, saying, “I am with you, says the Lord.”But wait a minute!Is that exactly what God is saying? “I am with you” didn’t mean the same thing in Haggai’s day as we mean by the phrase in our common vernacular. There is a difference between saying that God is on our side and saying that God is “with you.” In this context, “with you” means that they were now enjoying God’s approval and blessing. But that blessing was the result of repentance.Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We begin this week to look at our latest edition of FrontLine, the March/April issue focused on the topic, “Is Conservativism Enough?”The topic we are addressing is Christian political philosophy. Should Christians be involved in politics, trying to effect political change, and if yes, how and how much should we be involved? Should churches be involved?I had intended to interview our Associate Editor for this edition to kick things off, but we were thwarted by events outside of our control, the last straw being a massive power outage that kicked me off the internet for over twelve hours. I am still getting over the shock! (Just kidding.)We will record that interview next week. In the meantime I talked to David Saxon, who is a professor at Maranatha Baptist University. Dave has been on the podcast before and always brings a depth of historical insight into the understanding and application of Biblical teaching.His article is called: “Purpose or Result? Is the Moral Transformation of Society a Current Goal of the Church?” He is really taking on the idea that the goal of the church as an organization should be to take in hand political power to effect social change. This is distinct from individual Christians exercising political liberty to achieve political ends through political activity. I hope as we discuss this you will grasp the subtle distinction between these complementary ideas and find help in informing or adjusting your own political philosophy biblically.As always, Dave’s article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the March/April FrontLine:Is Conservatism Enough? – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:Purpose or Result? Is the Moral Transformation of Society a Current Goal of the Church? Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

I had some difficulty getting Co-pilot to generate a theme image for this post. It seems that Microsoft considers an image depicting child-sacrifice objectionable. Shocking.One of the intellectual dilemmas about the Genesis 22 story is the issue of human sacrifice and the command of God. On one hand, God commands Abraham to make a child sacrifice, which clearly seems immoral. Yet Abraham is commended by God for being willing to obey in such an objectionable act. Was God being insincere in His command and if so, shouldn’t Abraham have said, “No, God. Child sacrifice is evil.”We need to unpack this question because it touches our daily walk and the temptations that we face regularly.There is a difference between testing and temptation.The problem is that the same words, both in Hebrew and Greek, are used for both ideas. James 1 says that we should face various trials with joy in verse 3 and then says that God does not tempt us with evil in verses 13 and 14.Temptation usually includes three elements: the tempted person (us as the main actors), the temptation (a choice of obedience or disobedience), and a tempter (an outside character pushing us toward disobedience). In the case of Eve in the Garden the elements were Eve, eating of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, and Satan encouraging her to disobey the command of God. …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

This, Judge Phil Ginn wrote for Realclearreligion.com on the subject of Christians and culture. He was addressing an upcoming (March 8, 2026) feature on CNN entitled The Rise of Christian Nationalism. In the article, he includes CNN’s definition of Christian Nationalism as follows:CNN is ostensibly defining Christian Nationalism as “an ideology rooted in the belief that our country was founded as a Christian nation, and that our laws and institutions should reflect Christian values.” Ms. Brown goes further to assert that the assassination of Charlie Kirk “radicalized” Christians into a feeling of being persecuted.As with almost everything, the key to everything is not in what they say, but what they mean by what they say.Was the U.S. founded as a Christian nation? …Read the rest of the post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today we have something different for you. Normally I’m interviewing one of our authors from our FrontLine magazine. I am in the process of recording interviews for our next edition of the magazine, so we will return to that in due course.However, today I am talking to my friend Ben Hicks. He is the Associate Pastor at Colonial Hills Baptist Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. He works closely with me on Proclaim & Defend and is a key idea guy for us whenever we get together and talk.At the beginning of the year, I like to make a post for P&D on Bible reading with links to Bible reading schedules. This is a big push I make for our church people every year as well.Ben has a similar passion in his ministry. He published two articles on the topic in the first couple weeks of this year as well.I thought it would be a good idea to put together a podcast partway through the year as sort of a “Booster Shot” for your Bible reading. We know what it is like to start the year with enthusiasm, but then for our interest to flag as life piles up on us. Both Ben and I want you to just pick up and carry on. We especially want you to develop the Bible reading priority in your daily life.That’s what this conversation is designed to do. Together we talk about various insights we’ve gleaned ourselves on the subject of developing that priority. There are so many ways we can make our Bible reading fresh and we touch on some of them. I hope you find this helpful. I want to encourage you to pass it on to others if it might be helpful to them as well.Now, at this point in the podcast I’m normally pointing you to a FrontLine article. We don’t have one this time, but I do want to encourage you to support the FBFI by subscribing to our magazine, following our blog, Proclaim & Defend, and this podcast. Your support helps us keep excellent content coming your way.Our Proclaim & Defend articles on Bible reading:From Ben:When You Don’t Get Anything Out of Devotions – Proclaim & Defend7 Tips for Regular Bible Readings – Proclaim & DefendFrom Don:Hear and Learn and Fear: It’s Bible-reading Schedule Time – Proclaim & Defend Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Entertainment disguised as worship isn’t worship. It’s idolatry. Ignorant worship is not worship at all. The ultimate authority on worship is Jesus, and He explained Himself very clearly in John 4. Let’s consider it.SituationJesus is in Samaria by choice. The Jews did not have dealings with the Samaritans. The Samaritans were the remaining vestiges of the Israelites who remained in the land of Israel during the Babylonian exile. They had intermarried with the occupying nations and were considered half-breeds and outcasts by the Jews who returned from the exile. They had continued the Samaritan form of worship begun by Jeroboam when he rebelled against Rehoboam after the death of Solomon. One significant aspect of the deviant worship of Jeroboam was the new location of worship. Jesus is next to a historical site. It is Jacob’s well. A well built by the patriarch Jacob, a common ancestor to the Jews and Samaritans.Jesus waited for the disciples to return from the city with food. While He waited, a woman of the city comes to draw water. This is not a significant issue except that it was midday, the wrong time of day for the women to draw water. She was asocial outcast because of her many sins. When Jesus began to talk with the lady, she was at first startled, then intrigued by His words. He began to reveal Himself to her. The woman then brings up the subject of worship. …Read the rest of this post here or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We continue our interviews with authors from our January/February edition of FrontLine on the theme: “It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor.”Today’s episode is a discussion with Nathan Mestler, president of International Baptist College and Seminary in Chandler, AZ. Nathan offers us the article, “Called in Community: The Local Church and the Shaping of Pastoral Ministry.” It gives us the practical theological basis behind many of the articles in this issue.We are well aware of the growing need for more men in the ministry. Many current pastors are nearing the ends of their careers and churches everywhere are looking for new leaders for the coming years. Often, we look to the colleges for this, but Nathan reminds us that the colleges aren’t simply pastor processing machines that manufacture new pastors out of thin air. Instead, they come alongside churches to help them train the men rising within the ranks of the local churches.That is as it should be. Paul appointed elders in the churches from among the people already in the churches. All our churches should be encouraging the young men in their midst who have pastoral gifts and callings to step out in faith to enter the ministry. As Nathan says at the end, perhaps your churches next pastor isn’t even saved yet - be evangelistic, be disciple making, be active in giving men opportunities to serve, and see what God can do from our local churches.Our conversation this time was very interesting to me, I hope it provides some direction and inspiration to you as well.Before we get to the interview with Nathan, let me remind you that his article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the January/February FrontLine:It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor [FrontLine]The Article:Called in Community: The Local Church and the Shaping of Pastoral Ministry Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

The simple answer is that they probably didn’t. There were two groups of people. The Matthew account of the Triumphal Entry clearly delineates between the two.It was a pilgrimage to Jerusalem.Jesus began telling the disciples that He was going to Jerusalem to die months before this trip. The book of Matthew records three separate instances where Jesus told his closest followers of his plan to go to Jerusalem where He would be tried and crucified. The first was when they were in the far north near Caesarea Philippi (Matthew 16:21-23), the second was just after the transfiguration (Matthew 17:22-23), and the third was on the road as they traveled toward Jericho on their way to Jerusalem (Matthew 20:17-19).The timing of this journey was significant. Jesus was going to Jerusalem for the Passover. Jews from all over the world were making this same trip at the same time. Jesus chose this timing on purpose. Any Jew listening to Matthew being read for the first time would recognize the significance of the timing and would be able to picture in their own minds the events as they unfolded.…Read the rest of the post here or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We continue our interviews with authors from our January/February edition of FrontLine on the theme: “It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor.”This week our guest is Matt Klassen. His article is his own testimony about his call into the ministry after a long career in a field we don’t usually think of as a training ground for ministry. He’ll tell you all about that as he talks about how the Lord brought him to faith in Christ, then grew him in the local church to the point where he realized he could best serve the Lord in the ministry.We hope this conversation is a blessing to you, but even more importantly, maybe for some it might serve as a spark to taking a step into full time ministry in a local church. There is a crying need for more pastors, perhaps someone who is listening should take that step, or you know someone who might well serve in this way. If the latter is the case, send the link to that someone and see what God might do.Before we get to the interview with Matt, let me remind you that his article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.Now, for my interview with Matt Klassen.The Contents & Editorial for the January/February FrontLine:It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor [FrontLine]The Article:The Second-Career Call - the Proclaim & Defend Podcast Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Note: Position statements of the FBFI are not the same as magazine articles on FrontLine or typical posts on Proclaimanddefend.org. They are crafted in a committee during our Winter Board Meeting, discussed by the assembled board members, edited by the board, and published as a collective statement of the position of our board on a particular subject. We do this when we believe it is important for us to speak with unity on a matter of great importance. With the rise of antisemitism among evangelicals, we believe we need to speak clearly on this subject. This is a statement from February 2026.Position Statement 26_03: The Jewish People and IsraelTheological Foundations* In His grace, for the sake of His glory, and to accomplish His redemptive and kingdom purposes, God chose Israel to be His representative people among the nations (Ex 4:22; Lev 20:26; Deu 26:18-19) and made a covenant with them at Mount Sinai (Ex 19– 20; Deu 5:1-2). Although Israel broke this covenant and God dispersed them among the nations, He has not repudiated, but rather has reiterated, His promise to restore and use them in the future (Lev 26:44-45; Rom 11:25-29).* In the present age the majority of the Jewish people remain in unbelief, rejecting the Gospel of Jesus the Messiah, although a remnant is being saved through the preaching of the Gospel and faith in Christ (Rom 11:1-6). They, along with believing Gentiles, are being incorporated into one spiritual body in Christ, His Church (Eph 2:14-18).* The current unbelief of the majority of the Jewish people in the Messiah does not mean that God has repudiated His calling of them or annulled His promises to them (Rom 11:1-2, 25-32). When Christ returns in glory, the Jewish People will acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah and will enter the Millennial Kingdom with Christ as their King (Jer 30:9; 31:31-34; Zech 12:10–13:1; Rom 11:26). This will be a time of blessing for the Gentile nations as well, which will also become the people of the Lord (Gen 12:3; Ps 22:27-28; Isa 19:23-25; Amos 9:12; Zech 2:11).* From the time of Pentecost until the Rapture, the Church is God’s ordained mediatorial institution in the world. Although the Church shares in some of the blessings of the New Covenant promises that God made to Israel and exceeds Old Testament Israel in spiritual privileges, the Church is neither a continuation of national Israel nor a replacement for Israel in God’s plan.Antisemitism* Antisemitism, hostility toward the Jewish people, is evil. God is not a respecter of persons. No one on account of his or her religious or ethnic background is precluded from the grace of God (Acts 10:34-35).* Antisemitism has various motives, including religious, social, political, ideological, and racial. Throughout history, it has been reflected in bigotry, blood libel, conspiracy theories, pogroms, confiscation of property, and even genocide. Regardless of its manifestation, antisemitism ultimately is satanic in origin (Rev 12:1-6; 13-17; 1 Chr 21:1; Zech 3:1-2).* The reality and horrors of the Holocaust are among the best documented facts in modern history and attempts to deny or minimize it are both historically indefensible and morally repugnant.* Antisemitism is contrary to Scripture. Gentile believers are specifically admonished by God not to look down on the Jewish people (Rom 11:13-18), rather they owe a great debt to Israel as the instrument through which God gave us His Word and His Christ (Rom 3:1-2; 9:1-5; 15:27). Bible-believing Christians should be especially wary of false teachers that seek to justify antisemitism based on professed loyalty to Christianity or other alleged theological reasons.Jewish Evangelism* Everyone born into this world, Jewish and Gentile alike, is under the condemnation of God and needs salvation through Jesus Christ (Rom 3:9). Christ loved and died for us all, and everyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ will be saved. The good news of salvation in Jesus Christ is for Jews and Gentiles without distinction (Rom 1:16).* Jesus is the true Messiah (Mat 16:16-17; John 20:31) and Suffering Servant (Isa 52:13–53:12; Acts 8:35), Who gave His life for His people (Mat 1:21; John 11:49-52). Therefore, Jewish evangelism is not antisemitic, but rather, it is a manifestation of God’s love for the Jewish people (John 3:16; Rom 9:1-5; 10:1) and should be encouraged (Acts 20:21; 1 Cor 9:19-20). As with all people, believers’ interactions with the Jewish people should be culturally sensitive and avoid giving offence where truth and principle are not involved (1 Cor 9:19-20;10:32).The Mosaic Law and Jewish Customs* The Scripture is clear that believers (whether Jew or Gentile) are not under the Law of Moses (Rom 6:14; Gal 3:23-25; 5:18). Old-covenant ceremonies are not binding on Jewish Christians, must not be imposed on the Gentiles, and may not be commended either as a as a condition for full fellowship with God or other believers or as a means of sanctification (Gal 3:3; Col 2:16-17; Heb 10:1).The Modern State of Israel* Zionism, understood as the belief that the Jewish people should be able to live as a nation in their ancestral homeland, is not inconsistent with God’s Word. The reestablishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 can reasonably be seen as a manifestation of God’s electing love for ethnic Israel and as a token of His intention to fulfill his promises to them in the eschatological future.* While affirming that God will bring His chosen people, Israel, back to their Jewish homeland in fulfillment of Biblical end-time prophecy, we reject the idea that Jews must be in the land before the Lord can Rapture the Church. We believe that the next event on the prophetic calendar is the Rapture.* Meanwhile, there is no valid theological objection to Christian people supporting the right of the Jewish people to a homeland or the right of the modern State of Israel to exist.* From the standpoint of geopolitics, the nation of Israel was created in 1948 in accordance with United Nations Resolution 181. Israel’s legitimacy has been recognized by the majority of nations, and by the United Nations, of which Israel has been a member state since 1949. Nevertheless, Israel’s existence was opposed by the Arab leadership and allied states, which initiated wars against Israel, and which fomented numerous terrorist acts against Israel and Israelis, including the October 7, 2023, attack, a reprehensible act of state-sponsored terrorism against innocent civilians.* Like other nations, Israel has the right to defend its people and its territorial integrity from invasion and terrorism. Also, like other nations, the policies of Israel’s government are subject to criticism on political and moral grounds. While affirming that God blesses those who bless the Jewish people, we reject the idea that the political positions of the nation-state of Israel at any given time must be supported unconditionally.* The suffering of innocent people as a result of terrorism and warfare is a tragic consequence of sin that should grieve God’s people. However, in a fallen world, the responsibility of national self-defense is necessary for the protection of the people and the nation (Rom 13:1-3; Isa 1:17), and governments cannot be expected to abandon that responsibility in order to avoid all harm to the innocent.* Christians should pray for all the people of the Middle East, for the success of the Gospel there, and for the peace of Jerusalem (Ps 122:6-9), recognizing that there will be no ultimate peace until the coming in glory of the Prince of Peace (Isa 9:6). Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

A young man recently started on a journey to find God and a biblical place to worship. His friends were investigating Eastern Orthodoxy because it has an extremely prominent representation on Youtube. As he began visiting evangelical mega churches and asking about the differences, he was met with vapid answers.“Well, we are just glad you are showing an interest in religion.”“Maybe our church isn’t for you, and Eastern Orthodox is a better fit.”Evangelical church leaders are treating the Orthodox Church like it is another denominational option and not what it actually is—another religion altogether. Three articles might help us wrap our brains around what is happening right now with young men especially.Why young men are leaving traditional churches for “Masculine” Orthodoxy.This article in the NY Post explains the explosion of interest in the Easter Orthodox Church among young people. Its conclusions are eye-opening. …Read the rest of this article here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We continue our interviews with authors from our January/February edition of FrontLine on the theme: “It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor.”This week it is Jeff Caupp, his article is on Mentoring, a subject that was much talked about a few years ago, but his emphasis is a bit different. Of course, we want to reach out to those who are growing as leaders and help them as much as possible, but each leader has a key limitation. He is one man, and secondly, there are only so many hours in a day.Jeff’s emphasis is that we should especially concentrate on mentoring (or discipling) other leaders so that they can turn around and lead their own sons, first of all, and then others in their sphere of influence.We had a very interesting discussion a few weeks back and are airing it for you today. I hope it is a blessing to you.As always, Jeff’s article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.And now for my interview with Jeff Caupp.The Contents & Editorial for the January/February FrontLine:It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor [FrontLine]The Article:Mentor the Mentors: A True Call to Ministry Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We won’t always agree. No, let me rephrase that. We won’t ever agree—on everything doctrinal and practical about the faith.History indicates this and the Bible recognizes it. The Apostle Paul recognizes this in the early church regarding worship choices. Historically, Baptists have also recognized this in one of the key Baptist Distinctives—individual soul liberty and responsibility.We will all give account to God individually for the things we believe and practice. We will not be able to hide behind the Church, Church leaders, or a denominational structure.Theological BoundariesBut we also must somehow determine what essential obedient Christianity looks like. Theologically, the early fundamentalists were not trying to determine what was obedient or not, but rather the theological boundaries of true Christianity. They wrangled and battled over the “fundamentals” and eventually settled on a consistent set of doctrines that comprised essential Christianity. They called these doctrines the Fundamentals and we have discussed them often over the years.They put a fence around the playground of Christianity and said that once you cross the fence, you can no longer legitimately call yourself Christian.Moral boundaries.Paul does not draw just theological boundaries, but also moral boundaries around the faith, in 1 Corinthians 5:9-11. ….Read the rest of the post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Today we begin our interviews with authors from our January/February edition of FrontLine on the theme: “It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor.”I’ve got Dave Shumate with me to talk about this issue and his article in the magazine. Dave is a regular on the podcast and this time is what we call the “Associate Editor” for this edition of the magazine. That means he was involved in setting the theme and recruiting the authors for this edition.We talk about the theme and its emphasis on the whole church being involved in the process of bringing men into the ministry. This has been the experience of many, and several of our articles are testimonies from men about how their local church experience led them into the ministry. Dave’s article is one of these.In the church, there is a growing awareness that the average age of pastors is increasing and the number of churches without pastors is increasing as well. I don’t know if there is a quick fix to this, but as we discuss in the interview, if churches can get into a Great Commission mindset, reaching out into the lives of others in their communities, our churches should be producing pastors.The article featuring the magazine is already available on the Proclaim & Defend website, we will put the link in the notes.For Dave’s article, I’ll mention that his article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the January/February FrontLine:It Takes a Church to Grow a Pastor [FrontLine]The Article:The Power of Radical Hospitality Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

I must admit that I had not been keeping up with Child Evangelism Fellowship and its premier way of sharing the gospel with children—the Wordless Book.The Wordless Book uses simple colors as a framework for sharing the gospel. My mother trained with CEF before she was married and considered joining the organization as a missionary. I was first introduced to the Wordless Book before I could even speak the colors of its pages. She and my father continued to participate in Good News Clubs in public schools well into their 80’s. The Wordless Book was always part of their gospel presentation.However, the presentation changed over the years. …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We are wrapping up our interviews for the November/December issue of FrontLine with this podcast. This interview is unique among all the others for this issue of the magazine as it combines the theme “Raising Children to be Adults in an Adolescent World” with a chaplains report.Alan Ashley is an FBFI endorsed chaplain with the Boy Scouts of America. As his son was growing up, he had a lot of involvement in Scouting and continues to have as a chaplain. You will hear some great accounts of what Alan is doing with Scouting these days, it’s really a blessing to see him have this opportunity.We also discuss some of the controversy around recent changes to the Boy Scouts. Alan has thought through his position very carefully and still has a tremendous opportunity to share the gospel in the organization. He also gives us insight in how to get involved if anyone is interested.Now, let me remind you that Alan’s article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.The Contents & Editorial for the November/December FrontLine:Raising Children to be Adults in an Adolescent World [FrontLine Nov/Dec 2025] – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:The World at Our Doorstep: Chaplaincy Ministry to Scouting America Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

We took a few weeks off over Christmas and are just now getting going once again. Today’s interview also comes from our November/December FrontLine magazine, which had the topic “Raising Children to be Adults in an Adolescent World.”In this interview, I’m interviewing Emily Haynes, whose article was called “Fostering Resilience in Young Adults.”I really enjoyed having this conversation with Emily and then enjoyed it a second time while editing it. I hope you find it profitable as you think about your interaction with young people in your home and church.Our recording software has an AI component that gives us a summary of our session. I thought I’d read its summary of this conversation to give you a sense of where we are going with it:In this conversation, Emily Haynes discusses the importance of fostering resilience in young adults, emphasizing the need for purpose, community, and mentorship. She shares insights from her experiences as dean of women at Maranatha Baptist University and highlights the challenges faced by today’s youth, particularly in the context of social media and emotional health. The discussion also touches on the role of the Christian community in supporting young people and the significance of discipleship in building resilience and purpose.There you have it. We’ll commence shortly, but first let me remind you that his article is available on our substack right away for paying subscribers. We have previews for everyone else. I hope you will join with us and support the ministry of the FBFI by becoming a paying subscriber.Maybe I should also mention that this interview works out to be Interview 100 in our series. I’m not sure why we put significance behind round numbers like that, but here we are. We are counting, if no one else is!The Contents & Editorial for the November/December FrontLine:Raising Children to be Adults in an Adolescent World [FrontLine Nov/Dec 2025] – Proclaim & DefendThe Article:Fostering Resilience in Young Adults Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

“We need more young people in the church!” I hear this cry in lots of smaller churches across the country. Why would God give your church more young people, if the older people are spiritually stagnant and unwilling to sacrifice to build and encourage the next generation? Could it be that the problem in your church is you, not them?Revival always starts with me.For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. Philippians 1:19-21Sometimes the hardest people in the church to motivate for Christ, are older believers. There is a revival among young people happening around the world. We are seeing young singles and couples returning to church in record numbers. They are coming to faith in Christ, and their lives are transforming. But for this to continue, we need a “revival among older believers.” Let me explain by using the Apostle Paul as an example.Consider the Apostle Paul when he wrote these words, not as an admonition to us, but as an explanation about how he was thinking about the last few years of his existence on earth. He was facing death but also knew he had some time left. He explains what he was thinking about himself, Christ, heaven, and others and how he intended to transform that thinking into his daily activity. These are his driving principles as he faced the end of his life. …Read the rest of this post here, or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe

Instead of making New Year’s resolutions, write down a New Year’s prayer list. It is more advantageous, and it keeps our plans and goals for the coming year where they should be—in submission to the will of God. Start life change with prayer. Bathe life-change in prayer. Celebrate life-change with rejoicing in prayer.Let’s consider what a New Year’s prayer list might look like.Pray for yourself.Psalm 25:4-5 says, “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.”What do I know is God’s will for me in the coming year? Consistent devotional and prayer time? Increased Spirit empowered self-discipline? Better stewardship of my finances, time, relationships, opportunities? Do I even know. My first prayer request is to ask Him to show me what I should pray for myself in the coming year. It should be my lead request every day.Read the whole post here: Make a Big Bold Prayer List for the Coming Year – Proclaim & Defend or just listen to the podcast. Get full access to the Proclaim & Defend Podcast at proclaimdefend.substack.com/subscribe