The Wednesday Conversation

Episode 541: Why We Catechize

What are catechisms and why do we use them?To those unfamiliar with the term, “catechism” can seem like a strange word. Simply put, catechisms are question-and-answer tools that communicate Christian theology in simple ways. In this episode, we respond to a listener question about the origins of catechisms and creeds. We discuss why the Reformation led to a golden age of catechisms, what makes catechisms important, and how they connect us to historic Christianity and spur us to deeper worship.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: Kelsey's Cookies(1:55) Catechizing Catechumens with Catechisms(12:50) Some Important Creeds & Catechisms(18:56) Laying a Foundation for Theology & Discipleship(29:29) Catechisms Tether Us to the Historic Church

Episode 540: TWC Commentary | The Aftermath of an Assassination

In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination, how do we process our emotions, responses, and reactions?On September 10, 2025, conservative political activist and outspoken Christian Charlie Kirk was murdered during a campus event at Utah Valley University. Some people are feeling shock, anger, fear, grief, and lament; others are celebrating or mocking. How do we make sense of what we’re feeling? How do we respond to what others are saying? And what does this moment portend for American politics and the future of civic debate? In this episode, Bob engages these questions and offers some commentary and perspective.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: First Things First(5:44) Who Was Charlie Kirk ?(12:36) What Does His Assassination Reveal?(27:06) Temptations We Should Resist(39:22) Parting ThoughtsArticles & Resources: https://www.digitalliturgies.net/p/accelerants-and-tethershttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/16/opinion/charlie-kirk-assassination-left-violence.htmlhttps://brianmattson.substack.com/p/theythem

Episode 539: Secular Praise Music?

If you’ve listened to the radio lately, perhaps you’ve noticed that pop music is sounding a lot like worship music. Some of the year's most popular songs use biblical imagery, emotive builds, and vocal choirs—not unlike what you might hear in church. On this week’s episode, we discuss a recent article that traces this trend. We explore why music producers are mimicking worship music and what it suggests about our cultural moment.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: Myrtle & Cypress(3:21) Is "Secular Praise Music" Even a Thing?(13:24) What’s Driving the Change in Pop Music(19:03) What Music Says About Our Collective Longings(30:05) We Can Worship Even When Songs Are Hard to SingArticle:https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/music/article/everyone-is-listening-to-secular-praise-music-yes-even-you-110058855.html

Episode 538: Protestant Spiritual Formation

Over the past half-century, evangelical Christians have rediscovered spiritual formation. Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, John Ortberg, and more recently John Mark Comer have helped re-emphasize spiritual practices and the interior life. But why does so much popular writing and teaching on spiritual formation lean on Catholic sources – mystics and monks and Merton? Is there a distinctly Protestant stream of spiritual formation that we can rediscover? If so, what might it teach us? In this episode, we interact with a new book from Matthew Bingham, A Heart Aflame for God. Bingham asserts that there IS a deep Protestant tradition of spiritual formation, and one of its distinctives is the centrality of Scripture. In this episode, we discuss why we tend to minimize Scripture in spiritual formation, why the Puritans saw Scripture as central to spiritual formation, and how we can practically foreground the Scriptures in our spiritual practices.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: Have We Lost the Thread on Spiritual Formation?(4:26) The Primacy of the Word of God(13:23) Some Critiques of a Word-Centric Spiritual Formation(20:43) What the Puritans Have to Say(26:22) Let the Word of Christ Dwell in You Richly

Episode 537: Baptism and Re-Baptism

In credobaptist traditions, we baptize new Christians upon their profession of faith in Christ. But what happens when, a few years later, a new experience of God's grace makes me question my prior baptism? How can we separate our subjective experiences of God’s promises from the objective nature of those promises? In this episode, we respond to a listener question and discuss how the Reformation tradition understood baptism, what the animating force of baptism is, and the connections between baptism and discipleship.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: Why We Love Our Listeners(2:46) Can/Should I Get Re-Baptized?(5:57) Who’s Speaking in Baptism?(13:31) Differences Among Paedobaptist Traditions (20:22) What "Conversion" Is and Isn't(25:34) Coming Back to the Great Commission

Episode 536: Coram Deo’s 20th Anniversary (Part 2)

August 2025 marks Coram Deo Church’s 20th birthday. On this episode, we reflect further on God’s grace to Coram Deo over the past two decades. We talk about what we’re grateful for, what years were the most fun, what aspects of Coram Deo turned out differently than we expected, and why the "institutional" aspect of a church is crucial to city renewal.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: David's Reign(2:19) What We're Grateful For(10:42) The Church As Institution(14:16) What We're Surprised By(19:15) What Was the Most Fun(24:38) Listener Take-Aways

Episode 535: Coram Deo’s 20th Anniversary (Part 1)

August 2025 marks Coram Deo Church’s 20th birthday. On this episode, we reflect on God's grace to Coram Deo over the past two decades. We discuss the circumstances of the church's founding, the ups and downs of starting and leading a church, and what’s changed in the cultural and ministry environment between 2005 and 2025.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: Happy Birthday, Coram Deo(2:21) How Coram Deo Got Started(10:06) What Ministry Looked Like in 2005(18:35) Leading a Growing Church(24:32) Joys and Trials(30:33) Church Planting: Then Vs. Now

Episode 534: A Long Obedience in the Same Direction... at Work

If it hasn't happened to you yet... wait for it. Sometime in your mid-30's, life starts to feel mundane. You find yourself asking: How did I get here? Do I like what I do? Do I still want this job? Despite all the cliches, "mid-life crisis" is real. The world urges you to try something new - a new job, a new hobby, maybe even a new spouse. But what if God has a different invitation—one that invites you to interrogate your restlessness? In this episode, we answer a listener question about how to persist at work. We discuss stewardship, settling, friendship, and the wisdom of knowing your portion (Ecclesiastes 9:9).Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: I Guess This is a Mid-Life Crisis Podcast(2:53) Mid-Life as an Invitation to Settledness(12:35) Settling IN vs. Settling FOR(21:00) What Does the Lord Want from Me Next?(25:11) Find People Who Aren’t Impressed with You(31:02) What Is Your Portion?

Episode 533: The Death of John MacArthur

John MacArthur, longtime pastor of Grace Community Church in California, passed away on July 14, 2025. MacArthur preached in the same pulpit for 56 years. His recorded sermons and syndicated radio and television programs brought the gospel to people all over the world, and his writings impacted many more. On this episode, we discuss MacArthur’s legacy, the impact of his ministry, where we disagree with him, and the gaps his death leaves behind.Chapters:(0:00) Introductions: Patrick and Renee Got Us a Kringle!(2:25) John MacArthur’s Obituary(8:34) John’s Life and Ministry(19:27) Where We Disagree with MacArthur (and Commend Him)(25:38) Who Are the Next Generation of Stalwart Preachers? Resources & Articles:https://firstthings.com/a-straight-line-to-the-pulpit-the-legacy-of-john-macarthur/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/us/john-macarthur-dead.html

Episode 532: From the Archives | Approaching the Lord’s Table

Communion should be a regular practice for all Christians—but there is freedom in how often and in what ways the church practices this historic sacrament. In this 2018 episode, we discuss how and why our churches observe communion the way we do.