Church Theology

In this episode, Dan joins Kirk to break down some of the overall structure of Revelation 12-15 and the role of the key characters in the book of Revelation: the dragon, beast, false prophet, and harlot. After that, they dive into the text of Revelation 13:1-10 to discuss the details of this first beast who rises from the sea. Passage structure available here.

In this episode, Dan joins Kirk to talk through Revelation 12, as well as some of our overall approach to handling this section spanning from Revelation 11:19-15:4. We discuss the structure and plot of this section, as well as work through some additional details from the three scenes in chapter 12.

Revelation 11 is somewhat infamous for its mention of two witnesses who will issue plagues and destroy people with fire from their mouths. In addition, in vv.1-2 we get the mention of a temple and the trampling of its outer court and the "holy city." What is this all referring to? Is it referring to a future, rebuilt temple in Jerusalem, and two literal witnesses in the "end times"? Or is this, as I will argue, symbolism of the church? ---------- "Where the preaching of repentance, with judgments alone as evidence, had failed (Rev 11:6; cf. Rev 8:2-9:21), when fulfilled in witness to the point of death (11:7-10), participating in Jesus' witness and victory through and over death (11:12), the prophetic ministry of the church will effect the conversion of the nations to God (11:13). This is the heart of the revelation contained in the scroll (10:1-11), the heart of Revelation's message: that the church redeemed from all nations is called to suffering witness which, by virtue of its participation in Jesus' sacrificial witness, can bring the nations to repentance of idolatry and conversion to the true God. In this way--as Jesus' witness is extended universally in the life and death, as well as the preaching of the church--God's kingdom can come to the nations as salvation, rather than judgement." --Richard Bauckham

In this episode, Kirk covers some overview material on the trumpet judgments and apocalyptic literature, and then dives into the theme of prayer in the book of Revelation as highlighted in Revelation 8:2-5.

In this short book, originally delivered as an oral address in 1911, Princeton theologian and professor Benjamin B. Warfield addresses his seminarians in anticipation of their upcoming theological studies He stresses to them the importance of not divorcing theological study from functional, religious (or what we might call "spiritual") experience.

In this episode, Kirk and Dan quickly survey and review the seal judgments of chapters 6-7. Then they spend the bulk of the episode answering the question, "Who are the 144,000 from chapter 7:1-8?" arguing that they are symbolic of the church in 7:9ff.

Kirk, Sam, and Matt continue their conversation on reading now by discussing, who or what should we read (selecting books)? And, how should we go about reading (practical tips)? Book Recommendations

In this next set of episodes, I'm so pleased to have Sam Park and Matt Dohrmann join me for the podcast. Sam and Matt are both members of CrossWay Community Church where I serve. And in this episode we sit down to talk about the habit of reading good books, specifically, why is it important to be reading books? Book Recommendations

Kirk and Dan sit down to talk about some interpretive reminders as we approach the book of Revelation, and then take a look at Revelation 5:1-14 through the lens of various theological categories.

In this episode, Kirk and Dan discuss some additional matters related to the interpretation of Revelation 4. How should we understand the phrase "after this" used twice in verse 1, and what are some of the theological debates / discussions surrounding this phrase? Second, we take a closer look at the twenty elders and the four living creatures. Who or what might they be, and what role do they serve in this passage? Next, we consider briefly the theme of worship across the book. Who do you worship — God or the beast? And lastly, we consider the theme of heaven as God's very temple, and how this reaches its climax in chapters 21-22.

In this episode, Kirk and Dan look at the final message to the seven churches, the message to Laodicea. They discuss the nature of the Laodicean's sin and how we might fight its temptations through the promises of Christ.

In this episode, Kirk and Dan talk about Revelation 3:7-13. Some of the things discussed: What do we know about the background to Philadelphia? Does v.10 support the idea of a pre-tribulation rapture? What does it mean for Christ to refer to the Father as "my God"? And finally, we examine the promise in v.9 that those of the "synagogue of Satan" will one day worship Jesus.

Dan joins Kirk back on the podcast to discuss Revelation 3:1-6. We talk about what was likely going on in the church in Sardis, and what that same sort of sin might look like in our own lives today, as well as how the promises motivate us to "overcome."

We continue in our series, looking now at Revelation 2:18-29. We begin by thinking a bit more about the call to "hold fast" to the "[Christ's] works," and then dig a bit deeper into the description of the false teaching as well as the OT background to this promise that we will reign with Christ. Finally, we close by considering some of the practical questions about what it looks like to interact lovingly and winsomely when we face friction with the world on account of faithfulness.

It's that time of year when people walk around with ash on their foreheads and eat fish on Fridays. But wait, why don't we practice Lent?

On Sunday (Feb. 21, 2021) Dan will be preaching on Christ's message to the church in Pergamum in Revelation 2:12-17. So in this episode, in anticipation of that upcoming sermon, we spend time modeling how we might interrogate the passage with questions to try to gain a better understanding of it.

Kirk and Dan record some material on their drive to a Charles Simeon Trust workshop. (Be on the lookout for the part when they go through the Starbucks drive-through). In this episode, they talk about Christ's message in Revelation 2:8-11 to the church in Smyrna.

In this episode, we look at the uses of "conquer," "overcome," or "victory" across John's writings, but especially the book of Revelation. What is the meaning of this call to "conquer"? And how does it shape our understanding of the book and the nature of the Christian life?

In this episode, Kirk looks further at Revelation 2:1-7, diving into some additional matters for our consideration as we reflect on its importance for our lives and our understanding of the rest of the book.

Dan and Kirk dive deeper into the details of the vision of the son of man in Revelation 1:9-20 to ask, "How does this vision -- and its "big" view of Jesus -- empower us for faithful endurance?"

In this episode, Kirk and Dan talk about some additional interpretive and theological matters we encounter in Revelation 1:1-8. We consider how this passage introduces some key themes that set the tone for the rest of the book. We ask, what is an Old Testament allusion and how do we go about attending to these in the book of Revelation? Finally, we reflect on the meaning of the passage's message for our every day lives.

After a long hiatus (thanks COVID...), we're back with a new series of episodes on Revelation. These episodes are intended to supplement our sermon series working through the book of Revelation at CrossWay Community Church. We begin in these first two episodes by discussing some introductory matters to the book.

After a long hiatus (thanks COVID...), we're back with a new series of episodes on Revelation. These episodes are intended to supplement our sermon series working through the book of Revelation at CrossWay Community Church. We begin in these first two episodes by discussing some introductory matters to the book.

Have you ever felt too progressive for conservatives, but too conservative for progressives? Faced with a false "either/or" framing of many issues, Christians today often times can find themselves feeling politically homeless in our current landscape. Justin Giboney and Michael Wear -- and the AND Campaign -- speak to this issue in their call for compassion and conviction, truth and love, concern about moral order and addressing the injustices in our society. Today Justin and Michael join Kirk for a discussion on their newest book, Compassion (&) Convictions: The AND Campaign's Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement. We talk "Why should Christians care about politics?" and "How?"

I sit down with my old high school buddy, and now Leukemia-survivor, to ask what he means when he says that he wishes everyone would have a "successful brush with death" and that "getting cancer was the best thing that ever happened to me."

In this episode, Kirk sits down with pastor and political theologian Jonathan Leeman to talk Church and politics. They discuss, what is the relationship between church and state? Religion and politics? And how do we love those with whom we disagree politically?

In this episode, Kirk sits down with New Testament scholar and professor, Dr. Joshua Jipp, to explore the theme of Biblical hospitality. What is Biblical hospitality? What does Dr. Jipp mean by describing God's saving work in Christ as an act of showing us hospitality? And how should hospitality shape the life of the believer and the life of the church? This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

Mark Ward closes out his series with Kirk by talking about the translation of scripture. What all goes into translation? Why are there so many different ones? Are all translations created equal? This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

In this episode, Kirk talks to Mard Ward about the transmission of scripture, i.e., the process of how the Bible was copied, the manuscripts that were produced and collected, and how we have the Bibles we have today. This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

Mark Ward joins Kirk again as they continue their discussions on scripture, this time discussing scripture's sufficiency. What does it mean for Scripture to be sufficient? Sufficient for what? And what are the outworkings of believing and holding to this doctrine? This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

In this episode, Kirk and Mark Ward unpack the doctrine of scripture's perspicuity--that is, it's clarity. The doctrine of scripture's perspicuity was central to the convictions of the Protestant Reformation; and it's a doctrine that is just as important today in light of contemporary challenges. Not only so, but it provides a wellspring of encouragement for our Christian lives. This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

In this final (at least as currently planned) episode we consider our unexpected evangelistic opportunity brought on by this moment. May it be that God is preparing hearts and using this unusual situation to advance his gospel across the globe. This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

In this episode, we look at the church's pedigree of caring for people in crisis and even plagues. What can we learn from this, and scripture, as a model for our own calling in this present moment? This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

The current pandemic has caused disruption to our normal lives. This can be a great opportunity, however, for us to recalibrate how we live our lives. At the same time, they can become times where we flounder, and rather than growing we actually regress.  Could it be that this pandemic though, in some peculiar way, is--at least in some sense--a gift from God for our spiritual growth? How can we avoid "wasting" this moment? This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

As churches move online in the face of Sunday closures, it should cause us to ask, "What is the church in the midst of a pandemic?" Our current circumstances raise questions about what it means to be the church--questions that have always existed, with an underlying theology that's always been at play, but are now being forced into our immediate purview in light of our situation. This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

In today's episode, I offer some Biblical reflections and applications on thinking rightly and responding well to sickness--and more particularly as we seek to apply things to the current Coronavirus pandemic. This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

Today I'm releasing the first episode in what I intend to be a short series dealing with the Coronavirus--pastoral reflections on how to respond Biblically and act Christianly. Today I try to share some wisdom and Biblical reflections on responding specifically to health organizations and governments as they provide instructions to us on fighting this virus. This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

Mard Ward and Kirk Miller continue their discussion on scripture by asking, What does it mean for Scripture to be our authority? And how does it exercise its authority? This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

Mard Ward joins Kirk to discuss the topic of canon, "the divinely authorized collection of books that God has given to govern his people" (John Frame). How do we know we have God's Word? Why these books? This episode is brought to you by Logos Bible Software, with special discounts available to listeners of this podcast.

In this episode, Kirk sits down with professor and well-regarded church historian, Dr. Scott Manetsch, to discuss what church life was like in Reformation-era Geneva under the ministry the John Calvin.

In this episode, Kirk sits down with professor and well-regarded church historian, Dr. Scott Manetsch, to discuss what church life was like in Reformation-era Geneva under the ministry the John Calvin.

Kirk and Dan close out their series on Bible translations by dispelling some misconceptions about Bible translations, as well as laying out some practical tips for making use of translations in your study of scripture.

Today Kirk and Dan talk about "Textual Criticism," and how some of the differences that lie behind the various translations actually have to do with different textual bases of what is being translated.

In this episode, Kirk and Dan illustrate some of the philosophical (or methodological) differences we find in the various translations. They also discuss some of the pros and cons of these differences.

Kirk and Dan continue their series on Bible translation by looking at the major reason for the differences in our available translations, namely, translation philosophy. We look at the difference between formal and dynamic equivalent methodologies, and where on the spectrum the various popular English translations tend to fall.

Kirk and Dan begin a new series on Bible translations. Today they talk about some introductory matters on Bible translations, as well as why this is an important topic for us to consider and understand.

Kirk and Dan conclude their series on Ecclesiastes by examining the meaning of the book as it applies to us today.

Kirk and Dan continue their discussion on the message of Ecclesiastes by exploring the book's "above the sun" statements as it gestures towards and ultimately reaches its conclusive instruction for us.

In this episode, Dan and Kirk continue their discussion on Ecclesiastes by looking at the message (or main claim, or argument) of the book. They discuss the meaning of "vanity" (hevel), as well as some of the primary themes throughout the book.

Kirk and Dan begin there series on the book of Ecclesiastes. In this episode they look at the method that Ecclesiastes uses to communicate its message, namely how it functions as a unique expression of wisdom literature.

Kirk and Dan continue their work on how to find a Biblical book's overall message by looking to the book of Philippians as a test case.

Kirk and Dan are gearing up to do a short series on Ecclesiastes. But before they do, they wanted to take a step back and ask, "What's the benefit of getting a Biblical book's big picture?" and "How do we do that?" (This episode and the following will serve as an initial contribution to what will become an ongoing collection of episodes on How to Read the Bible.)

In this episode, Kirk and Dan conclude their discussion on the importance of doctrine and theology by finishing out talking about the hurdles we face along the way, as well as giving some practical tips and suggestions towards growing your discipline in theological learning.

Dan and Kirk continue their discussion on the importance of theology in the life of the believer and the life of the church. In this episode they talk about things like "theological triage" (or "dogmatic rank"), the Biblical spirit in which we are to hold to sound doctrine, as well as some initial hurdles we might face along the way.

In this episode, Kirk and Dan discuss "What is theology and why does it matter? Does it?"

Kirk and Dan continue their discussion on God's vision for the church by asking some diagnostic questions that help us consider what it looks like for us to pursue this vision in our own life.

In this episode Kirk and Dan continue their series on the concept of a "Church Theology" by digging into God's Biblical vision for the church. In the last two episodes we saw how God views the church, how he sees it. But now, what is God's vision for the church -- his desire for it and plan as it were to embody its calling and live out its mission?

Kirk and Dan continue their discussion on God's view of the church by now asking, "How does God's view of the church affect our own? And what does this mean for us practically when we adopt God's view?"

Church Theology is a podcast "on the church for the church." As such, we thought it'd be helpful to start off our podcast with an introduction series on that very idea of "church theology." We begin here in this episode by looking at the church, specifically God's view of the church and how that view should shape our own. In future episodes in this series we plan to look at God's vision for the church as well as the importance of the church's theology in living out that vision.

Announcing a new podcast, Church Theology: On the Church, For the Church. Join Kirk E. Miller and co-hosts as they dive into an array of topics, all the while asking, "How does this equip us for our mission as a church and as followers of Jesus?"