A Pastoral Podcast

John MacArthur was one of the most important expositors of our lifetime, and maybe of anyone's lifetime. After more than 55 years of faithful ministry at Grace Community Church in southern California, Dr. MacArthur went home to be with the Lord on July 14, 2025. In this episode, Lloyd and Tony reflect on his life, legacy, and ministry, as well as where the American church goes from here.——A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible Church in Prescott Valley, AZ, where Pastor Lloyd has served since 2018. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠www.FirmFoundationPV.org⁠⁠⁠⁠.Tony has served as the pastor of Woodland Park Bible Church in San Marcos, CA since January of 2025. Learn more at ⁠⁠wpbcSanMarcos.org⁠⁠.

The first episode of A Pastoral Podcast since Tony left for Woodland Park Bible Church in San Marcos, CA. Listen in as Lloyd and Tony talk about a range of topics, including what's new at FFBC and WPBC, worldliness, the importance of expository preaching, and Flocks.Find Pastor Tony and learn more about WPBC at wpbcSanMarcos.org.——A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible Church in Prescott Valley, AZ. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.FirmFoundationPV.org⁠⁠⁠.

Which is more biblical—burial or cremation? In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, pastors Lloyd and Tony discuss the difficult subject of cremation, what the Bible has to say about it, and how Christians should think about it. —— A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible Church in Prescott Valley, AZ. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠www.FirmFoundationPV.org⁠⁠⁠.

Christian nationalism is a hot-button topic among Christians and seculars alike—but what is it exactly? For those on the ideological left who deal in terms of euphemism and slander rather than actual ideas, it's a caricature synonymous with white supremacy. But for Christians who are actually listening to its claims, aspects of it sound not only reasonable, but right. In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, Lloyd and Tony discuss what Christian nationalism is, where it comes from, and how Christians should think about it and respond to it from a biblical perspective.——A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible Church in Prescott Valley, AZ. Learn more at ⁠⁠www.FirmFoundationPV.org⁠⁠.

NOTE: This episode was originally recorded on January 23, 2024.——Abortion is ultimately a theological issue, because your view of abortion is the natural outgrowth of your understanding of humanity and what it means to be a person. This is the fundamental reason why some people support it and why others are opposed to it. In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, pastors Lloyd and Tony talk about the theological and worldview issues at stake when it comes to the matter of abortion. They also discuss how Christians should think about abortion biblically and what we can do practically to stand against it.——A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible Church in Prescott Valley, AZ. Learn more at ⁠www.FirmFoundationPV.org⁠.

For the past three years, Critical Race Theory (CRT) has been a major force in American society. It occupies a primary point of concern for its opponents, while its advocates among the elite argue that it is simultaneously a ‘boogeyman’ for conservatives as well as a legitimate field of study. While the title is frequently denied, its core tenets are nevertheless being implemented across every major institution, and—more disturbingly—they are held in principle as convictions by large swaths of the American population.Sadly, the church has not escaped the conflict. American evangelicals are lining up on either side of the divide, with each side claiming a gospel obligation to take their respective stand.In this very important episode of A Pastoral Podcast, Lloyd and Tony talk about Critical Race Theory. They discuss what it is, how some have responded to it, and how Christians should think about it from a biblical perspective.——A Pastoral Podcast is a ministry of Firm Foundation Bible Church in Prescott Valley, AZ. Learn more at www.FirmFoundationPV.org.——Resources on CRT:"The Underlying Problem with Critical Race Theory," article by Lloyd Murphy — https://firmfoundationpv.org/the-underlying-problem-with-critical-race-theory/"Christianity & Racism," sermon by Tony de la Riva — https://firmfoundationpv.org/sermon/christianity-and-racism/"BLM, Discernment and the Devil’s Dictionary," article by Lloyd Murphy — https://firmfoundationpv.org/blm-discernment-and-the-devils-dictionary/“Critical Race Theory” by the Just Thinking Podcast — https://justthinking.me/ep-108-critical-race-theory/“What is Critical Race Theory?” by James Lindsay — https://youtu.be/BED_D6Hc6TU?si=vs2b6gTYucVQeOS_“Is Critical Theory Compatible with Christianity?” by John Stonestreet — https://breakpoint.org/is-critical-theory-compatible-with-christianity/Fault Lines by Voddie Baucham — https://www.voddiebaucham.org/fault-lines/——Related resources:“Critical Theory and the Cynical Transformation of Society: A Conversation with James Lindsay” by Al Mohler — https://albertmohler.com/2020/09/02/james-lindsayThe Just Thinking Podcast — https://justthinking.me/podcast-home/The Life of the Mind: Lectures by Carl Trueman — https://bit.ly/47RCb4bArticles by Thomas Sowell — https://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell.archives.aspBooks by Thomas Sowell — tsowell.com/writings.htmlResources for Christians: News & Worldview — https://firmfoundationpv.org/resources-for-christians/news-worldview/

How do I know if I'm called to preach? What does the Bible require of those who are called to ministry? What does "the call" even mean? In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, Pastors Lloyd and Tony talk about discerning the call to Christian Ministry.——Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, verse-by-verse preaching of God’s all-sufficient, authoritative Word. Learn more @ www.FirmFoundationPV.org.

In this episode, Pastors Jeff, Lloyd, and Tony are on the road together, driving back to AZ from the F.I.R.E. Fellowship Conference in Oxnard, CA and sharing some "random thoughts on the road." During the drive they took some time to discuss several random topics—namely, Bible translations, how Christians should think about Jordan Peterson, and the leading of the Holy Spirit.To learn more about the F.I.R.E. Fellowship and why FFBC is a member church, please visit www.firmfoundationpv.org/fire-fellowship.NOTE: This episode was originally recorded in October of 2022.——Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, verse-by-verse preaching of God’s all-sufficient, authoritative Word. Learn more @ www.FirmFoundationPV.org.

What is family worship—a.k.a. family devotions? Who should lead it, how do we do it, and why should we do it in the first place? Most Christians have a hard time knowing where to begin with their own personal devotions. Throw in several other people, busy work weeks and school schedules, and just a tiny bit of laziness or wrong priorities, and it is not a stretch to suppose that many Christian families never have anything close to what might be called family worship. In this episode of A Pastoral Podcast, Lloyd and Tony talk about the what, why, who, and how of so-called family devotions.——Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, verse-by-verse preaching of God’s all-sufficient, authoritative Word. Learn more @ www.FirmFoundationPV.org.

If I was baptized as a child but saved as an adult, do I need to be baptized again? Is baptism necessary for salvation? What does the Bible teach about baptism? These are just some of the questions that many Christians have when it comes to baptism. On this episode, Pastors Lloyd and Tony talk through the question of baptism from a biblical perspective.——Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, verse-by-verse preaching of God’s all-sufficient, authoritative Word. Learn more @ www.FirmFoundationPV.org.

We are at a point in American history where trust in institutions is lower than it's ever been—and not without good reason. Government, media, education, the church, and even the family are all viewed with suspicion. What are Christians to make of so-called "church membership"? Is it right for a church to require it? Is it wise for Christians to submit to it? Is it even biblical? Listen in as Lloyd and Tony talk about the issue of church membership. —— Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, verse-by-verse preaching of God’s all-sufficient, authoritative Word. Learn more @ www.FirmFoundationPV.org.

All throughout church history, Christians have held different views on the fourth commandment and taken different approaches to it. So what is the Sabbath? Is there a "Christian Sabbath," and if so, is it on Saturday or Sunday? Are we obligated to keep it, and how should we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ when their convictions differ from ours? Pastors Lloyd and Tony try to answer these questions biblically in this episode of A Pastoral Podcast. —— Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, verse-by-verse preaching of God’s all-sufficient, authoritative Word. Learn more @ www.FirmFoundationPV.org.

Denominations: Christian disunity, or something else? Outsiders have faulted Christianity for centuries because of the fact that there are different denominations. If we have one Bible, one God, and one faith, why are there so many different churches? It's one thing for unbelievers to have a problem here, but it's another thing altogether when Christians are confused by it. Today on A Pastoral Podcast, Lloyd and Tony will talk about what is meant by "denominations," why so many exist, and how we as Christians can think biblically about it.

Most Christians feel the tension between duty and grace. In other words, we have a sense of the obligation to "do" certain things (like read your Bible, or go to church), and yet we know that salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone apart from works. In our first edition of A Pastoral Podcast, Lloyd and Tony talk about that tension and the difference between legalism and spiritual discipline. —— Firm Foundation is a non-denominational Christian church in Prescott Valley, AZ, committed to shepherding God's flock through the expository, verse-by-verse preaching of God’s all-sufficient, authoritative Word. Learn more @ www.FirmFoundationPV.org.