What does it really mean to be an apprentice of Jesus in a fragmented world? In this episode of Theology for the People, Pastor Heath Hardesty shares how his years as an apprentice plumber shaped his vision for discipleship and following Jesus.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why apprenticeship is a better paradigm for following Jesus than “just” discipleship classes
The four pillars of apprenticeship: union, abiding, obeying, and imaging
How sin fragments our lives and how Jesus reintegrates us
Practical spiritual practices for ordinary Tuesdays
Why following Jesus is a fully embodied way of life—not just information in our heads
Whether you’re feeling spiritually stagnant or longing for a more integrated faith, this conversation will challenge and encourage you.
📖 All Things Together releases October 14 and is available wherever books are sold.
What does faithful, biblical care for widows look like, and why does the Bible say that it is at the heart of "pure religion"?
Susan VandePol became a widow when her husband—a Los Angeles City firefighter—died following a line-of-duty exposure. Out of her own grief the Lord led her to create practical protocols for fire departments and churches, and to host deeply healing widows’ retreats.
In this conversation we cover:• Why you don’t “stop” being a widow—even after remarriage• How Scripture frames widowhood (the “quartet of the vulnerable,” James 1:27, Luke 18)• “Pruning” grief: letting God move grief toward health and fruit• Presence over platitudes: what helps, what harms• A simple, sustainable church protocol (care that intentionally extends to two years)• How ministering to widows purifies the whole churchResources mentioned:• Church Protocol for Widow Care – Matters of Life and Breath (download free)• Fire Department Widow Protocol – Matters of Life and Breath (free)• Widows’ Retreat (West Michigan, Oct 17–19) – registration details via the Matters of Life and Breath websiteAbout Susan VandePolWidow, author, and founder of Matters of Life and Breath, Susan equips churches and first-responder communities to care wisely and biblically for widows. She and her husband (a trauma specialist) also serve internationally with grief and trauma care.⏩ If this helped you, please share it with a friend and subscribe for more conversations that bring theology to the people!
In this episode of Theology for the People, Pastor Nick Cady is joined by Pastor Stephen Pomeroy from White Fields Community Church to explore the fascinating story of the conversion of the Vikings.
Stephen, who also hosts the Viking Legacy and Lore podcast, shares how his personal heritage sparked an interest in Viking history and mythology, and how he approaches it from a Christian perspective. Together we discuss:
What the Viking Age was and how it ended
The political and spiritual dynamics behind Viking conversion to Christianity
The concept of the monomyth and how stories across cultures point to the true story of Jesus
Parallels between Norse mythology and biblical truth
Lessons for engaging neo-paganism and modern spiritual seekers
This conversation blends history, theology, and mission — showing how God’s truth reaches across cultures and centuries.
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In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick Cady talks with Sharon Markey — missionary, pastor’s wife, and author of the forthcoming book Finding Home Again. Sharon shares her family’s story of serving in Ukraine for nearly two decades, planting churches in Kyiv, and how the war suddenly uprooted their lives.
We discuss:
What it means to be a refugee and how displacement affects faith and identity
The church’s role in caring for hurting and displaced people
How Ukrainians are bringing gospel light into post-Christian Europe
The reality of life in Ukraine today and how Christians can pray and help
Sharon’s hope for her new book and how it can inspire compassion and faith
👉 Learn more about Sharon’s book at sharontmarkey.com
👉 Support their ministry: bridgeua.org
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In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick Cady sits down with pastor and author Matt McCullough to discuss his new book Remember Heaven.
Building on the themes of his previous book Remember Death, Matt explores how the biblical vision of heaven is meant to shape our lives here and now—not just as a future hope, but as a present motivation for rest, urgency, and faithful discipleship.
Together they talk about:
How our cultural views of heaven often miss the God-centered reality the Bible presents
Why remembering heaven matters in a distracted and comfort-driven world
How heaven gives us peace in anxiety, urgency in mission, and love in community
What the Bible actually says (and doesn’t say) about the afterlife
How the local church functions as a “colony of heaven” in the country of death
This is a hopeful, practical conversation that will encourage you to set your mind on things above and live today in light of eternity.
📘 Remember Heaven is available now wherever books are sold.
🔗 Learn more about Matt and his ministry at edgefieldnashville.org
🔗 Visit TheologyforthePeople.com for articles and content
In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick Cady speaks with David Mathis, author of A Little Theology of Exercise: Enjoying Christ in Body and Soul, to explore the spiritual significance of physical health.
This conversation looks at the theology of the body, and how caring for our bodies can actually deepen our discipleship, improve our service to others, and shape how we glorify God with our entire being.
We also explore cultural trends around fitness, how to avoid idolatry of the body, and how anyone — regardless of age or ability — can engage in God-honoring movement.
Whether you're a seasoned athlete or someone who avoids the gym at all costs, this episode is a helpful and grace-filled look at how physical exercise fits into the Christian life.
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In this episode, Nick Cady is joined by Sandra Peoples — a disability ministry consultant, author, and pastor's wife — to discuss her new book: Accessible Church: A Gospel-Centered Vision for Including People with Disabilities and Their Families
Sandra shares from personal experience as both a sister and mother of individuals with disabilities, and she casts a compelling vision for churches to become accessible and inclusive to people of all ability levels.
They explore the theological foundations for understanding disability, the relational and spiritual impacts of accessibility, and practical ways churches of any size can serve individuals and families affected by disability.
Whether you're a pastor, ministry leader, or church member, this conversation will challenge and equip you to take steps toward a more inclusive and grace-filled church culture.👉 Learn more about Sandra’s work and resources at sandrapeoples.com
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In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick talks with Dr. Drew Martin, professor of theology and church history at Covenant Theological Seminary. Drew shares about his pastoral journey, his transition to academia, and why he wrote his new book on Francis Grimké — an influential but often overlooked African American Presbyterian pastor, church leader, and early civil rights advocate.
They discuss Grimké’s life: born into slavery, educated at Princeton, and pastoring 15th Street Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, for nearly 50 years. Drew explains Grimké’s passion for preaching the gospel and fighting racial prejudice, his wisdom in holding together faith and social action without confusing them, and what the church today can learn from Grimké’s example.
📖 Get Drew’s book: Francis Grimké on the Christian Life (Crossway’s Theologians on the Christian Life Series)
🔗 Connect with Drew at Covenant Theological Seminary.
If you enjoy this conversation, be sure to subscribe and share this episode with friends who want to deepen their understanding of faithful ministry, church history, and engaging society with gospel clarity.
Visit theologyforthepeople.com for articles and additional content.
In this episode host Nick Cady talks with Matt Smethurst about his new book Tim Keller on the Christian Life.
Matt shares about his ministry journey, why Tim Keller’s legacy is still so valuable for the church today, and what he discovered while sifting through Keller’s sermons, books, and endnotes. They discuss Keller’s approach to contextualization, evangelism, friendship, and what it means to taste and see that the Lord is good.
Whether you’re a long-time fan of Keller’s work or just curious about his influence, this conversation will deepen your appreciation for how the gospel changes everything.
Show Notes:
Matt’s background in missions and church planting
Responding to recent critiques of Keller’s ministry
How Keller’s focus on gospel clarity shaped his preaching
What surprised Matt most in Keller’s work
Lessons for pastors, leaders, and everyday believers
📚 Check out Matt’s books:
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What does it mean to follow Jesus in an age of constant distraction and digital overload?
In this episode of Theology for the People, Nick Cady is joined by Brett McCracken — senior editor at The Gospel Coalition and editor of the new book Scrolling Ourselves to Death. Drawing inspiration from Neil Postman’s classic Amusing Ourselves to Death, this conversation explores how modern technology is shaping our souls, eroding our attention, and forming a plausibility structure that makes it harder to believe in transcendent truth.
They discuss:
How social media is forming us spiritually
The dangers of disembodied discipleship
Why embodied church gatherings still matter
How the internet fosters epistemological chaos
Practical ways churches and families can reclaim real life in the digital age
Whether you’re a pastor, parent, or just a thoughtful Christian navigating life with a smartphone, this episode will challenge and encourage you to think more deeply about how you engage with technology.
📘 Get the book Scrolling Ourselves to Death
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In this episode, Nick Cady is joined by pastor and author Ray Ortlund Jr. to talk about how God's grace meets us in our lowest moments.
Ray is the president of Renewal Ministries, and the pastor to pastors at Immanuel Church in Nashville. He is an Old Testament scholar, has taught as a professor, and was a contributor to the ESV Study Bible.
Drawing from Isaiah 57:15 and Ray’s personal experiences of betrayal, regret, loneliness, and loss, they explore how the gospel offers real hope for crushed and broken people.
Topics include:
How to heal from betrayal
What to do when you’re trapped by your own sin
Why loneliness is a spiritual crisis
How the doctrine of justification by faith brings healing
What it means to die well — and live in light of resurrection
This conversation is filled with biblical encouragement for anyone struggling or walking alongside those who are.
Check out the Theology for the People website at theologyforthepeople.com
Everyone who reads the Bible engages in interpretation whether they realize it or not - so how do we do it faithfully and well?
In this episode, Pastor Jon Nielsen of Christ Presbyterian Church in Wheaton, IL joins to discuss his latest book, Understanding God's Word, the third installment in his Theology Basics series.
John shares his background in ministry, from campus work at Princeton to serving in Wheaton, and unpacks the essentials of biblical hermeneutics.
He introduces six key tools—Context, Construction, Christ, Clarity, Courtroom, and Crux—for interpreting and applying Scripture faithfully. We also explore common mistakes in Bible study, the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture, and how believers can approach God’s Word with confidence.
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In this episode, Pastor Nick Cady interviews Pastor Miles DiBenedictus of Cross Connection Church in Escondido, California.
Miles is a PhD student at Southern Seminary studying AI ethics, and in this discussion, they explore the topic of epistemology: what it is, why it matters, and how it affects everything from how we read the Bible to how we navigate truth in a world of misinformation and digital confusion.
Whether you're new to the term or already intrigued by philosophy, this conversation will help you think more clearly about how we know what we know—and why that matters for following Jesus today.
What is the enduring legacy of the early church councils, and what role should they play in the lives of Bible-believing Christians today?
In this episode, host Nick Cady is joined again by Matt Pursely, Executive Pastor at Park Hill Church in San Diego, California and graduate of Westminster Theological Seminary with a focus on Historical Theology, to discuss what happened after Chalcedon, and why it matters for believers today.
We also discuss the views of William Lane Craig, who holds to a Neo-Apolinarian Christology which some see as being in conflict with Chalcedon. We explain what this view is, and how other early councils, such as Constantinople III speak to it.
We also explain the importance of the debate over monothylitism and dyathelitism and the question of impeccability vs. peccability and whether Jesus was truly tempted internally or if his temptations were merely external.
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In this episode, Nick Cady in joined by Sebastian Frappier, to discuss his incredible journey from a professional acting career to planting a church in the highly secular city of Montreal, Quebec. Sebastian shares how a moment of spiritual emptiness led him to encounter Jesus through a Gideon Bible on Guadalupe Mountain in Texas. He reflects on his 12-year journey of preparation, the unique challenges of ministry in a post-Christian culture, and how his acting background informs his preaching and evangelism.
The conversation also covers the unique cultural and spiritual aspects of Quebec, effective evangelism strategies in Montreal, and the importance of discipleship in a context where biblical knowledge is minimal.
Sebastian offers practical advice for church planters in secular urban settings and shares how listeners can support Calvary Montreal’s mission.
Sebastian’s Journey to Faith: From a successful acting career in Montreal to a transformative encounter with Jesus while reading the Sermon on the Mount in Texas.
Ministry in Montreal: The challenges of pastoring in a highly secular, post-Christian city with less than 0.3% evangelical Christians.
Acting and Preaching: How Sebastian’s training in method acting and the Meisner technique shapes his passionate, authentic approach to teaching the Bible.
Cultural Context of Quebec: The impact of the Quiet Revolution, the decline of Catholicism, and the rise of humanism in Quebec’s spiritual landscape.
Evangelism Strategies: The effectiveness of street and subway evangelism in Montreal, emphasizing authenticity and genuine relationships over large-scale events.
Discipleship in a Secular Context: Focusing on basic biblical teachings and one-on-one discipleship due to limited biblical literacy among new believers.
Challenges and Encouragement: Sebastian’s experience with a recent church split, the financial struggles of ministry in Quebec, and the joy of seeing individual souls saved.
Call to Action: How listeners can pray for, support, or participate in short-term mission trips to support Calvary Montreal.
Calvary Montreal Website: calvarymontreal.com – Find information on the church, how to get involved, and support their mission.
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Share this episode with friends or your church community to raise awareness about the mission in Montreal.
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In this episode, Nick Cady and Shane Angland tackle the critical question: How did the Bible come to be?
They explore the formation of the biblical canon, addressing misconceptions, historical processes, and the theological significance of Scripture.
From the Old Testament’s roots in God’s redemptive work to the New Testament’s apostolic authority, this conversation offers clarity on why the Bible is trusted as God’s inspired Word.
They also discuss the Apocrypha, the Council of Trent’s impact, and how early Jewish and Christian communities recognized canonical texts.
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What is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Does it happen simultaneously with salvation, or is it a subsequent experience? How should our understanding of the baptism with the Holy Spirit shape our practice in the church? In this episode, Pastor Nick Cady is interviewed by Dr. Alan Stoddard about this topic.
Alan is a pastor and church planter with over 25 years of ministry experience. Alan holds a Master’s Degree from Southwestern Seminary, and a Doctorate in preaching from Gordon Conwell.
Both Nick and Alan serve as Adjunct Professors at Calvary Chapel Bible College. Alan also teaches at Rockbridge Seminary. Nick and Alan also serve on the Leadership Team of Expositors Collective.
This year, on Easter Sunday, Alan launched a new church plant called Imagine Church in Cressen, Texas.
In this episode, Nick and Alan discuss the prepositional approach to understanding the Spirit’s work, and how it helps to address some common questions and even some misconceptions about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Resources to check out:
Daniel Stevens is Assistant Professor of New Testament Interpretation at Boyce College and author of Songs of the Son: Reading the Psalms with the Author of Hebrews.
In this episode, Daniel shares how his accidental dive into Hebrews sparked a decade-long passion, revealing how the Psalms prophetically point to Jesus.
We talk about the question of who wrote Hebrews, and why it matters — and we talk about how reading the Psalms through the lens of Hebrews can deepen our worship and appreciation of Jesus.
Notable Quotes
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In this episode, Nick Cady sits down with Paul Hoffman, pastor and co-author of a new book on artificial intelligence and its implications for Christian faith.
Paul, joined by his co-author Sean O’Callaghan, an expert in transhumanism, explores the theological, ethical, and practical dimensions of AI.
From its potential to advance Bible translation to the risks of “Christian malformation,” they discuss how believers can engage AI selectively to foster human flourishing while staying rooted in the Imago Dei—the image of God.
Whether you’re a pastor, a tech enthusiast, or simply curious about AI’s role in our world, this conversation will challenge you to think deeply about technology and discipleship.
Guest Bio:
Paul Hoffman is a pastor at Evangelical Friends Church in Newport, Rhode Island. Paul previously joined Theology for the People to discuss his book Preaching to a Divided Nation with Matthew Kim. Listen to that episode here.
Connect with Paul:
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Zhenya Chekushkin is a pastor from Western Ukraine and a longtime friend. Zhenya shares his unique story: growing up in a communist military family, coming to faith at 13, and now leading a church through the ongoing war in Ukraine.
From the fall of the Soviet Union to the rise of evangelicalism and the current conflict, Zhenya offers a firsthand perspective on how God is moving amid chaos—and how listeners can join in.
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