As soon as you say the phrase “conspiracy theory”, you’ve stepped into a minefield of meaning and innuendo. It helps if you understand that the phrase isn’t just used to describe the actions of shadowy groups, but is also used to cast a negative light on the people who believe in such conspiracies. And in many cases, this negative connotation is at least somewhat deserved, because many conspiracy theories are in fact ridiculous. But as anyone who has studied history knows, groups and governments do in fact conspire. So what is a good Christian to do?

In this episode, we try to approach the subject of conspiracy theories from a biblical basis and take a shot at answering a few questions: How do you live in a world full of sinners conspiring to sin which includes liars lying about what some of those conspiracies are? How do you make sense of theories and things you only know a little about? How do you stop worrying and learn to live in joy in the world that God has made and that Jesus Christ is ruling over? It turns out, God’s word has a lot to teach us on the subject. Please join us as we discuss this important topic.

Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Hosts – Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director – Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music – Gabriel Hudelson

We discuss whether church discipline is about more than reconciliation of the sinner, and the ways that it is a reflection of God’s character.

Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Hosts – Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director – Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music – Gabriel Hudelson

ChatGPT and Artifical Intelligence have been all over the news lately. Should Christians be worried about what is coming next?

Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Hosts – Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director – Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music – Gabriel Hudelson

For a lot of people, TULIP, or the “Five Points of Calvinism”, serves as their introduction to Reformed Theology. But TULIP describes a fairly narrow set of doctrines, focused specifically on aspects of salvation, and while they are true and there is nothing wrong with knowing them or holding to them, Reformed Theology is a much broader and deeper subject. Reformed Theology is about the sovereignty of God over all things and focuses on God’s centrality in all and through all things. Or as Paul says at the end of Romans 11: “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! “FOR WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD? OR WHO HAS BECOME HIS COUNSELOR?” “OR WHO HAS FIRST GIVEN TO HIM AND IT SHALL BE REPAID TO HIM?” For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.”

In this episode, we discuss the differences between TULIP or Calvinistic Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) and Reformed Theology and we do so by considering how the doctrines that make up the Five Points of Calvinism (Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints) apply to more than just salvation. The goal is to demonstrate how the Reformed view of doctrine is not narrow but broad. To the extent that any doctrine is true, that doctrine shapes the world by its truth, and the doctrines related to salvation are no difference. Our desire is that we would all seek to know God more deeply, for the people of God to think deeply and with great joy upon the things that God has revealed to us, and for the church to not grow complacent, but to continue reforming as we better understand our Lord and his glorious plan to glorify himself through creation. Please join us as we discuss this important topic.

One of the resources that we mention in the episode is J.I. Packer’s Introduction to a reprint of John Owen’s book, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ. It is available here:
https://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/sdg/packer_deathintro.html

Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Hosts – Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director – Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music – Gabriel Hudelson

On March 10, 2023, Silicon Valley Bank failed and was taken into receivership. While there has been a great deal of discussion about this in the news and online, much of what has been said has been has either been completely false or misleading, particularly the claim that taxpayers will not bear the cost of the bailout.

In this episode, we briefly discuss bank runs and how they happen in general before shifting our focus to the details of how Silicon Valley Bank was taken into receivership. We review the banking crisis in 2008 and how it set the stage for this current event and talk about how past decisions have effectively removed the obligation from those who are wealthy to be conscientious about where they put their money.

As always, the fundamental focus is on how these issues are driven by scriptural issues. Because the church does not speak to the nature of God’s justice and what God requires of man it is not surprising that’s the world has forgotten to fear God. The answer is for the church to repent.

Production of Reformation Baptist Church of Youngsville, NC
Hosts – Dan Horn, Jonathan Sides, Charles Churchill and Joshua Horn
Technical Director – Timothy Kaiser
Theme Music – Gabriel Hudelson