The Heart of the Cross with Phil Ryken
May 17, 2022
Life and Books and EverythingClearly Reformed
Kevin welcomes Phil Ryken, President at Wheaton College, to the podcast to talk about “The Heart of the Cross,” a newly reissued book comprised of sermons from Dr. Ryken and James Montgomery Boice. But before they get to the book, Kevin and Phil talk about preaching, the challenges of higher education, Tenth Presbyterian Church, the ministry of James Boice, and a little bit about pickup basketball.
Timestamps:
Intro and Sponsor [0:00-1:39]
Guest: Phil Ryken [1:40-10:43]
The Merits of Guest Preaching [10:44-13:50]
What Makes for Good Preaching? [13:51-20:50]
Reading When Busy [20:51-22:55]
Issues with Higher Education [22:56-28:38]
Who was James M. Boice? [28:39-38:40]
The Heart of the Cross [38:41-43:32]
The Simplicity and Profundity of the Cross [43:33-52:43]
The Merits of Provocative Advertisements [52:44-56:15]
The Merits of Expository Preaching [56:16-58:41]
The Lack of True Discipleship [58:42-1:01:12]
Why Continually Focus on the Cross? [1:01:13-1:06:52]
Books and Everything:
Freakonomics Podcast Episode on Higher Ed
The Heart of the Cross
The Cross of Christ
More From Life and Books and Everything
The Good News of Limited Atonement
Life and Books and Everything
May 19, 2022
The doctrine of particular redemption is worth defining and defending because it gets to the heart of the gospel.
In this episode of Life and Books an
Harry Emerson Fosdick and the Spirit of American Liberalism
Life and Books and Everything
May 27, 2022
On May 21, 1922, Harry Emerson Fosdick took to the pulpit of Old First—the historic First Presbyterian Church (est. 1716) located on Fifth Avenue in M
The Power of the Two-Parent Home
Life and Books and Everything
June 1, 2022
After the gospel, there is no bigger gift you can give to the world than your children and no better gift you can give your children than to be raised
Seven Principles for Cultivating a Christian Posture toward the World
Life and Books and Everything
May 13, 2022
Important lessons to learn as we deal with negativity and hostility
In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he
Hoping for the Fall of Roe with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
May 10, 2022
After the unprecedented leak of the possible Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade, Kevin talks to Justin and Collin about the pro-life movem
Lessons From Mainline Decline
Life and Books and Everything
May 4, 2022
Relevant Christianity doesn’t stay relevant for long.
In this episode of Life and Books and Everything, Kevin reads from the article he wrote for WORL
More on OpenTheo
Life and Ministry in Charlotte and in the SBC with Clint Pressley
Life and Books and Everything
December 15, 2025
In a rare cultural anomaly that may never be repeated in our lifetimes, the current SBC President and current PCA Moderator live in the same neighborh
What Is the Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Lives if He Doesn’t Give Us Instructions?
#STRask
February 23, 2026
Questions about the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives, advice for someone who believes in God intellectually but struggles to understand how to hav
Did Jesus Prove He Wasn’t Sinless When He Overturned the Tables?
#STRask
December 29, 2025
Questions about whether Jesus proved he wasn’t sinless when he overturned the tables, whether Jesus’ response to the Pharisees in Mark 3:22–26 was a b
Does Open-Mindedness Require Studying Other Religions Before Becoming a Christian?
#STRask
February 9, 2026
Questions about the claim that if Christians really want to be open-minded, they need to read and study other religions before committing to Christian
Prove to Me That Jesus Is Not a Created Being
#STRask
January 26, 2026
Questions about why we should think Jesus is not a created being, and what it means to say God became fully human if part of being human means not bei
Are You Accursed If You Tithe?
#STRask
December 15, 2025
Questions about whether anyone who tithes is not a Christian and is accursed since Paul says that if you obey one part of the Mosaic Law you’re obliga
The Best of Times and the Worst of Times with Justin Taylor and Collin Hansen
Life and Books and Everything
March 10, 2026
If you don’t like freewheeling conversation, laughter, and banter among friends, then this may not be the episode for you. But if you are interested i
What Do You Think About Churches Advertising on Social Media?
#STRask
January 19, 2026
Questions about whether there’s an issue with churches advertising on social media, whether it’s weird if we pray along with a YouTuber, and whether C
Isn’t the Covenant in Scripture Explicitly with Israel and Not the Gentile Nations?
#STRask
March 12, 2026
Questions about what gives modern Christians confidence that they’ve inherited the Jews’ covenant with God if Scripture explicitly says it was with Is
Does God Hear the Prayers of Non-Believers?
#STRask
February 26, 2026
Questions about whether or not God hears and answers the prayers of non-believers, and thoughts about a church sign that reads (as if from God), “Just
Why Is It Necessary to Believe Jesus Is God?
#STRask
February 19, 2026
Questions about why it’s necessary to believe Jesus is God, whether belief in the Trinity is required for salvation, and why one has to believe in the
Keri Ingraham: School Choice and Education Reform
Knight & Rose Show
January 24, 2026
Wintery Knight and guest host Bonnie welcome Dr. Keri Ingraham to discuss school choice and education reform. They discuss the public school monopoly'
Why Should We Pray If God Already Knows What’s Going to Happen?
#STRask
January 29, 2026
Questions about why we should pray if God already knows what’s going to happen, how the effectiveness of prayer is measured, and whether or not things
Why Do We Say Someone Was Saved on a Particular Date If It Was Part of an Eternal Plan?
#STRask
November 24, 2025
Questions about why we say someone was saved on a particular date if it was part of an eternal plan, the Roman Catholic view of the gospel vs. the Bib
Are Demon Possessions and Exorcisms in the New Testament Literal?
#STRask
December 11, 2025
Questions about whether references to demon possessions and exorcisms in the New Testament are literal, how to talk to young children about ghosts, an