The Ryley Heppner Podcast

In this episode, Todd Korpi joins me to discuss his new book, "AI Goes to Church: Pastoral Wisdom for Artificial Intelligence." In our chat we explore the potential for both the use and abuse of AI within the Church, asking how pastors, leaders, and congregations can engage this powerful technology with wisdom, discernment, and theological depth.Todd Korpi (DMiss, Fuller Theological Seminary) serves as Missiologist in Residence at OneHope and Director of the Digital Mission Consortia at the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center. He is Assistant Professor of Christian Leadership at Fuller Theological Seminary and Dean of Digital Ministry programs at Ascent College. With Tara, Todd co-hosts the Mutuality Matters podcast in partnership with the Christians for Biblical Equality. His work has been featured in publications such as Outreach Magazine and Churchleaders.com and has contributed to numerous white papers and book projects.Todd is the author of AI Goes to Church (IVP, 2025), Your Daughters Shall Prophesy (Wipf & Stock, 2023), and The Life-Giving Spirit (Urban Loft, 2017).⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Personal Website/Writing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apologetics Canada Request⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Outreach Speakers Request

What did Jesus actually say about himself? Was he simply a wise teacher—or did he claim something far more profound? In this episode, I talk with Mikel Del Rosario — “The Apologetics Guy” — about his new book, "Did Jesus Really Say He Was God?: We explore the biblical and historical evidence for Jesus’ divine identity, as well as some common objections, key passages, and how the earliest Christians understood him.Mikel Del Rosario (PhD, Dallas Theological Seminary) is professor of Bible and theology at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. He has coauthored thirty-one journal articles on apologetics and cultural engagement in Bibliotheca Sacra with his mentor, Darrell L. Bock. A member of the Evangelical Theological Society, Del Rosario is host of The Apologetics Guy Show, a podcast on YouTube and the Christianity Today Network. He previously hosted Dallas Theological Seminary’s cultural engagement podcast, The Table.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Personal Website/Writing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apologetics Canada Request⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Outreach Speakers Request

In this episode, I sit down with John McCabe to discuss his new book "Dietrich Bonhoeffer: The Last Eight Days." We talk about the myths that have grown around Bonhoeffer’s death, the unreliable testimonies that shaped past biographies, and the fresh sources that reveal a truer picture of his courage, faith, and humanity in the final days of the Third Reich.John McCabe is Research Associate at the Von Hügel Institute, Cambridge and served as Rector of St Mary’s Church Byfleet from 2006 to 2024.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Personal Website/Writing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apologetics Canada Request⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Outreach Speakers Request

In this episode I have the chance to sit down with Dr. Eric Mason to talk about his new book, "Rebranding the Church." We dig into what “rebranding” really means (and doesn’t mean), how the church’s witness has been distorted, and what it will take to restore credibility and trust to the church.Eric Mason is the founder and senior pastor of Epiphany Fellowship in Philadelphia. With over thirty years in ministry, Dr. Mason is known for his commitment to biblical justice, theological depth, and passion for biblical literacy. As a leading voice in urban apologetics, Dr. Mason addresses pressing cultural, societal, and theological issues through a biblical lens. He is the author of several books, including Urban Apologetics and Woke Church, and most recently, Rebranding the Church.⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Personal Website/Writing⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apologetics Canada Request⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Outreach Speakers Request

From 120 believers in Acts to billions today, God’s Kingdom has faced epidemics, persecution, political hostility, and cultural opposition—yet it has never stopped growing. The lesson? No matter what threats arise in our own day, the Church will endure because God’s purposes cannot be stopped.⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Personal Website/Writing⁠⁠⁠⁠Apologetics Canada Request⁠⁠⁠⁠Outreach Speakers Request

What does James really mean when he says, “faith without works is dead”? In this episode, I talk with New Testament scholar Joel B. Green about his latest commentary on one of the most misunderstood books in the Bible. We explore how James connects faith and works, why he’s often (wrongly) set against Paul, and what it looks like to live out a faith that actually transforms lives.Joel B. Green is professor of New Testament interpretation and associate dean for the Center for Advanced Theological Studies, Fuller Theological Seminary. He was an editor of the first edition of the Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels and is the author and editor of numerous books, including The Gospel of Luke (NICNT), Body, Soul and Human Life: The Nature of Humanity in the Bible, The Theology of the Gospel of Luke and (with Mark Baker) Recovering the Scandal of the Cross.⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠Personal Website/Writing⁠⁠Apologetics Canada Request⁠⁠Outreach Speakers Request

What does exercise have to do with following Jesus? In this conversation, I talk with David Mathis from Desiring God, about his new book "A Little Theology of Exercise: Enjoying Christ in Body and Soul." We explore how movement, discipline, and embodied habits can actually deepen our joy in Christ, shape our discipleship, and help us serve others better.David Mathis is executive editor for Desiring God and pastor at Cities Church. He is a husband, father of four, and author of many books, including most recently, A Little Theology of Exercise: Enjoying Christ in Body and Soul (2025).⁠Instagram⁠Personal Website/WritingApologetics Canada RequestOutreach Speakers Request

What happens when hip hop, art, and apologetics collide? In this conversation, I sit down with Troy Lydiate—better known as Scribe Music—to talk about how art shapes culture, how the church has often struggled to engage with it, and why beauty and creativity matter for apologetics. We explore the tension between the sacred and the secular, the prophetic voice of hip hop in society, and how the church can learn to listen and speak more faithfully in the culture. Troy Lydiate is the Creative Director at Apologetics Canada, where he also serves as host of “The AC Podcast.” As a graduate of Providence University with a Bachelor’s Degree focused on Social Sciences, much of Troy’s professional career has been spent working with youth and young adults. Operating under the artistic moniker Scribe Music, Troy has unveiled four studio albums, skillfully utilizing his music as a conduit to convey the gospel message. His music production has garnered him nominations at the GMA (Covenant Awards), further complemented by widespread recognition through blog features and regular airplay on Canadian Christian radio.Personal Website/Writing: https://www.ryleyheppner.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryleyhepp/Apologetics Canada: https://apologeticscanada.com/ryley-heppner/Outreach Speakers: https://outreachspeakers.com/ryley-heppner

+ Listen to the end for an exclusive new song preview from CityAlight, written in conjunction with Tim Challies' and Tim Keesee's new book, "From the Rising of the Sun." Together again with Tim Challies, this time to talk about his new book, "From the Rising of the Sun," co-written with Tim Keesee. The book journeys around the globe, following the sun from Fiji to Alaska, to witness how believers in different nations and cultures worship the same Lord in diverse and beautiful ways.In our conversation, we discuss what the global church can teach us about worship, the surprising ways Christians express their faith across cultures, and how seeing the worldwide body of Christ at worship can challenge and enrich our own understanding of what it means to gather in Jesus’ name.Tim Challies is a pastor, noted speaker, author of numerous articles, and a pioneer in the Christian blogosphere. Tens of thousands of people visit Challies.com each day, making it one of the most widely read and recognized Christian blogs in the world. Tim is the author of several books, including Visual Theology, The Next Story, and, most recently, Pilgrim Prayers: Devotional Poems That Awaken Your Heart to the Goodness, Greatness, and Glory of God.Personal Website/Writing: https://www.ryleyheppner.comApologetics Canada: https://apologeticscanada.com/ryley-heppner/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryleyhepp/

As the one-year anniversary of the Westminster Study Bible approaches, I am joined by one of its editors, Dr. Emerson Powery, to dive into the vision, process, and purpose behind it. What really goes into the notes, commentary, and theological decisions of a study Bible? How does a study Bible shape the way we read Scripture? And why does the Westminster Study Bible offer something distinct from the many others already available?Emerson B. Powery is Professor of Biblical Studies at Messiah College. He is the coeditor of True to Our Native Land: An African American New Testament Commentary and the author of Jesus Reads Scripture: The Function of Jesus’ Use of Scripture in the Synoptic Gospels and Mark in the Immersion Bible Studies series. Powery also serves on the editorial boards of the Journal of Biblical Literature and the Common English Bible.Personal Website/Writing: https://www.ryleyheppner.comApologetics Canada: https://apologeticscanada.com/ryley-heppner/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryleyhepp/