The Boys Are Back In Town

What does it take to disqualify a man from ministry? Adultery? Emotional and spiritual abuse? Manipulation? According to cultural Christianity, none of these!If God’s Word is not the rule of faith and life, the moral compass is lost and anything goes! We’re talking about the “come-back” of Mark Driscoll and Tullian Tchividjian to the public life, and worse, to the pulpit after serious public scandals.The gang opens up the issues and answers some of the questions that many of us are asking. What are the qualifications of an office bearer? How seriously should the church and the office bearer take the standards laid out in the pastoral epistles? Are there warning signs one should watch for? Does repentance mean full restoration to ministry?Turn it on, turn it up, and let's see what they’ve got!We have a several copies of "Disciplines of a Godly Man" and "Disciplines of a Godly Woman" by Kent and Barbara Hughes that we are giving away courtesy of Crossway. Enter for your chance to win.

The Alpha Apologist

This week the crew hops on their bikes and goes cycling with James White. They try to carry a conversation, but it’s tough to keep up with him! He’s the director of Alpha and Omega Ministries, a Christian apologetics organization, and he wears many hats (literally and figuratively). He’s an author, professor, an elder in his church, and an outstanding worldwide debater.James has been in some hot water lately. We want to know what the hubbub is all about so he fills us in, revealing the (to some) absurd reason why he’s into debates. We hear about the opportunities he’s had to learn from people of diverse belief systems, to teach, and to proclaim the Gospel, adorning it with kindness and hospitality.We have a several copies of "What Every Christian Needs to Know About the Qur'an?" by James White courtesy of Bethany House Publishers that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.

See Ya, I’m Off!

OK, let’s see if we got this right - Todd’s taking off from church because Carl’s giving him a hard time, and Aimee’s doing God’s work Sunday morning by doing Habitat... Well, not really! But they’re talking about some sad, even weird things happening on the Internet.Is it OK to distance yourself from the means of grace when hurt by the local church? What’s the biblical course of action? Community work instead of Sunday worship, yea or nay? The proper understanding of the Church, sacraments, and the Sabbath will shine a light on these questions. Plus, a plea to those suffering mistreatment in their churches.But not everything is doom and gloom - Todd’s church is about to get a sabbatical from him!We have a several copies of "What Is The Mission Of The Church?" by Kevin DeYoung and Greg Gilbert courtesy of Crossway that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.

WWMD - What Would Machen Do?

By popular demand we bring Darryl Hart over from Michigan to the Chesapeake Bay State for a conversation about the fascinating life of J. Gresham Machen. His influence reached the highest levels of the U.S. government in matters of education, alcohol consumption, and military draft to name a few. We can’t help but ask how Machen would had approached issues on civil and religious life in our day.If that’s not enough for you, Darryl also brings up the life of H. L. Mencken and his relationship with Machen. Who was he? Could these two opposite poles have anything in common? You might be surprised!And as pipe smoke fills the room, the tables are turned as the guest takes over, and Carl is put on the spot to answer some serious questions!We have a several copies of "Defending the Faith" by D. G. Hart courtesy of P&R that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.

Q&A - Becoming Presbys and Explaining Redemption

While on a celeb tour, Carl worked on a cool mustache - maybe compensating for hair loss? In the meantime, Aimee and Todd, two recovering Baptists, tell of their “journey” to Presbyterianism. Todd even wanders into his love for the Book of Church Order. Tune in to get that whole story!But that’s not all folks! The conversation explores the term “redemption” and its meaning. Who or what is the object of redemption? Could God have co-redeemers? Then, what about us redeeming the culture? What does THAT even mean? What does the Bible tell us about God redeeming the present culture? Or will He simply destroy it all and create new heavens and a new earth at His coming? So much to cover!So join us for all these things and to see who's losing hair faster (spoiler alert, it’s not Aimee)!We have a several copies of "Redeemed! Redemption Accomplished" from the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.

That’s Classic!

This week the crew invites James Dolezal for a crucial conversation on the doctrine of God. James is the assistant professor of Theology in the School of Divinity of Cairn University. In his latest book All That Is in God he defends the classic orthodox doctrine of God while engaging with some contemporary deviations.What is divine simplicity? Why is it so important for the doctrine of the Trinity? What’s the cost of getting it wrong? Can we even have a doctrine of the Trinity without it? The answers are not so simple, but James does a wonderful job taking us back in history and guiding us through.And what do a Capuchin Friar, classic rock, and Thomas Aquinas have in common? Well, you’ll have to listen to find out!We have a several copies of "All That Is In God" by James Dolezal courtesy of Reformation Heritage Books that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.

The Sky is Falling

Is it the end of the world as we know it? Recent natural disasters around the world have once again drawn speculative voices claiming it’s the end times. Yep! And the date now is September 23rd, 2017… Really?How are we to think about natural disasters and personal tragedy? Are they indicators that we’ve come to the end? What do we do when tragedy strikes? God is sovereign, subverts evil for His greater glory and for the ultimate good of Christians. But what motivates God to act in certain ways at certain points and time?So finish up that ice cream in the freezer as the 23rd is approaching fast. And listen in to the very interesting conversation turned argument between Carl and Aimee about the correct pronunciation of the word hurricane.We have a several copies of "Eschatology in Church History" an audio set from the Philadelphia Conference on Reformed Theology that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.

Not So Common...

From rocking chairs on Todd’s front porch, our hosts try to sort out the lack of common sense among evangelicals. The mega-market of media is often “guiding” Christians to replace their mama’s basic teaching or their conscience as to what’s right and wrong.Do we need multiple reasons not to send nude selfies, not to shoot grandma, or not to punch the kid at the bus stop? Are we over spiritualizing things and becoming unable to make common sense decisions? What about that voice inside your head? What about The Pogues? Prophetic Rock? Seeing Jesus in Wonder Woman? The conversation continues into the wee hours, and you’re welcome to join in!We have a several copies of "Good News for Anxious Christians: 10 Practical Things You Don'd Have To Do" by Phillip Cary published by Brazos Press that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.Mortification of Spin LiveFor the first time ever (in almost five years), the underground bunker is being cracked open to the public.  Aimee opens the door of her home and welcomes you to be part of the conversation with Mortification of Spin on a more intimate level. You can pull up a chair around her dining room table along with Carl and Todd. Join us on Friday September 15 at 1:15PM ET for a live Mortification of Spin podcast recording. Register at alliancelive.org

It’s Not All About Country Music

With the notes coming out of the Music City, the Mortification of Spin Trio decides to chime-in on the Nashville Statement.Who is the intended audience? What do the writers hope to accomplish? Our skeptical English host – who doesn’t sign statements whether he agrees with them or not! – wonders if such statements are even effective?Tune-in as the crew thinks through each of these issues while considering who’s affected by this statement and who’s really on the front line facing the toughest questions. Is it possible to stand firm on sexuality issues without alienating the very people we must witness to?All that and more, including this week’s great giveaway, “The Gospel & Sexual Orientation”, a booklet birthed out of RPCNA Synod Report to provide guidance on the same points addressed by the Nashville Statement! 

From Grace to Princeton

We’re joined by a familiar guest this week, someone who knows the underground bunker very well. Todd and Aimee try to keep him humble by setting the ground rules right from the start.Having recently returned from his celebrity tour, our special guest, Carl Trueman, uses the opportunity to talk about his newest book “Grace Alone”. He addresses the importance of distinguishing the Protestant and Catholic meanings of “grace” and gives us a brief history of the word.And, being the well respected man that he is, Carl will fill us in on what’s next. This time he’s taking a year off from Westminster Theological Seminary to join Princeton University as a fellow research scholar.Pull up a chair and join our conversation to find out about Carl’s projects this coming year.We have a several copies of "Grace Alone: Salvation as a Gift of God" by Carl Trueman published by Zondervan that we are giving away. Enter for your chance to win.