TGC Podcast

A. Craig Troxel expounds on what Scripture says about the heart, and teaches how to re-orient the heart towards Christ. Troxel explains that the word “heart” in Scripture actually refers to three different parts of our inner selves: the mind, the desires, and the will. The mind’s heart is what you know, the desire’s heart is what you want, and the will’s heart is what you choose.The goal of the Christian life is not duty, but joy, and in order to get there, we need the Holy Spirit to teach us how to love what God loves. To love God whole-heartedly, we must look to Christ who has perfectly loved the Father.   

In his message at TGC21, Lloyd Kim defines social justice as giving equity, fairness, and inalienable rights to all people, and he explains why the gospel is included as a right. Kim gives five objections and solutions for why Christians might not be answering the call to global missions.  In addressing all these roadblocks to missions, Kim provides encouragement to answer the call to the Great Commission and bring Jesus to the unreached.

At TGCW21, Ligon Duncan taught from the book of Romans on the Holy Spirit’s ongoing work in the Christian life to conform us into the image of Jesus. Duncan encourages Christians to endure the work of sanctification through God’s Spirit, even when it’s discouraging. He gives five truths about sanctification that help anchor the soul: 1. Justification and sanctification both ground our sense of freedom in the Christian life, providing a way to obey.2. God’s grace always produces heart change in the believer, which leads to seeing God’s delight in us.3. Worldliness doesn’t subject itself to the law of God, and when we pursue worldliness, the Spirit’s work in us can feel like death.4. Worldliness is unable to subject itself to God’s law. We are actually in bondage when we follow our own way, but when we submit, we are free.5. It is impossible to please God in worldliness. But the Christian walking in the Spirit is at peace, subject to the law, and able to obey because of the Spirit’s work within.Duncan closes with the reminder that God’s purpose from the beginning has always been and will always be to conform us into the image of his Son, through the work of the Holy Spirit.

A lot of the advice we hear about how to use social media—don’t be mean, don’t humblebrag, share Bible verses—is good. But it also doesn’t feel like enough. Social media is a huge beast, and we need more than “set a timer” (as helpful as that can be) to help us navigate the world of social media in a gospel-centered way.Pulling in part from TGC's book, Social Sanity in an Insta World, panelists Amy Gannett, Blair Linne, and Laura Wifler explore ways of using social media to the glory of God. They cover a wide range of ideas, from the big picture (figure out why you're logging on) to the daily details (to re-ground yourself after scrolling, try concentrating on your five senses), all while offering encouragement to those who might be burned out by social media.

Teaching from Romans chapters 11 and 12, Jen Wilkin expounds on Paul’s call to know and worship God in order to be transformed. We must ask “Who is God?” before we can know our own identity.Wilkin outlines three truths about God that help us understand how to become living sacrifices for him:God has all richesGod has all wisdomGod has all knowledgeBecause God owns all things, we cannot extort or blackmail him. Because God holds all information (knowledge) perfectly and effortlessly, he can judge us perfectly (wisdom). If we want to feel deeply about God, we need to think deeply about him. Meditating on God's riches, wisdom, and knowledge will ultimately transform us into Christ’s image.

Juan Sánchez helps pastors identify leaders who imitate Christ based on four necessary traits: character, conviction, competency, and credibility.

In her message at TGCW21, Nancy Guthrie defines biblical theology and how it can transform Bible study as we gain a greater understanding of the Bible through it.Guthrie says biblical theology is a way of seeing the Bible as one cohesive story about what God is doing in the world through Christ. Approaching the Scriptures with biblical theology as a framework, Christians should experience a deeper awe of what Christ has done, not an overwhelming feeling of what we have to do. The smaller stories of the Bible are all woven together into the greater story of Christ—allowing us to see the beauty, sufficiency, and necessity of our union with him.

Teaching on Romans 5 at TGCW21, Kathleen Nielson highlights the truth that God’s grace is always abounding. She explains grace in relation to the past, present, and future—that we have been reconciled with God through Christ (past), that we have access to God right now (present), and that we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God awaiting us (future).Nielson says we cannot discover this grace on our own. Instead, we experience it together as the body of Christ, encouraging and strengthening each other regularly. The power of grace to give life is much greater than the power of sin to bring death. Through Christ, God’s grace is always greater than our sin. Nielson closes with the bold question: “Does this grace hold your life together?”

In spring 2022, TGC released a five-part video debate series featuring prominent Christian thinkers discussing some of the most divisive issues facing the church today. On this episode, we’re featuring the fifth and final debate in our series, where Ryan Burge and Andrew Walker engage in a discussion whether evangelicals should be defined by sociology or theology. Pastor Jim Davis from Orlando Grace Church moderates this debate.To watch videos from the debates and download free resources for further discussion with your staff or small group, visit goodfaithdebates.com

In spring 2022, TGC released a five-part video debate series featuring prominent Christian thinkers discussing some of the most divisive issues facing the church today. On today’s episode, we’re featuring the fourth debate, where Brian Davis and Justin Giboney discuss how the church should address racial injustice. Pastor Jim Davis from Orlando Grace Church moderates this debate.To watch videos from the debates and download free resources for further discussion with your staff or small group, visit goodfaithdebates.com