The Greater Heritage

Timestamps 0:50 – Introductions 2:00 – Reading and literacy statistics 5:36 – Why do Christians need to read well? 10:29 – Benefits of reading 12:01 – How to read well in an age of distraction 16:50 – Current cultural and celebrity attitudes toward books 21:58 – Marcel Proust, John Milton and Maryanne Wolf on reading 35:50 – How to approach and read God’s Word 49:22 – Best practices for teaching reading in the classroom and in the church 60:55 – Some favorite books and recommendations 1:12:42 – Concluding remarks and next episode preview  Find book recommendations from this episode here.In this podcast episode we’re joined once again by Dr. Mark Talbot, associate professor of philosophy at Wheaton College, and host of the When the Stars Disappear podcast. He is also the author of the Suffering and the Christian Life series published by Crossway, including When the Stars Disappear and Give Me Understanding That I May Live.Mark spoke once before on the podcast about suffering, but in this episode we turn our attention to the important and vital topic of reading.In America today, 54% of adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level (Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy) and in Central Florida 1 in 4 read at or below a 5th grade level (The Adult Literacy League).Additionally, 14% of Americans in 2021 read their Bible daily while only 10% did so in 2022 (American Bible Society, The State of the Bible USA 2022 Survey). Lastly, Ligonier Ministries’ bi-annual State of Theology Survey shows that 53% of U.S. adults believe that the Bible is not literally true, the first time there has been a majority who believe that in the survey, and up from 41% in 2014.The numbers don’t lie, the poor state of reading and literacy in America today is alarming, especially among Christians.Many factors are contributing to America’s literacy woes, including a plethora of distractions, celebrities discouraging reading, people’s inclination to listen to audio-books instead of reflecting on written words, and a reliance on transactional (blogs, Tweets, short form content) instead of transformative (physical books, long form content) reading.Dr. Talbot discusses all of this and more in the episode. He also considers ways of reading well in an age of distraction including helpful tools and tips for training our minds to read and comprehend better.As Mark points out, understanding takes time and effort. It requires that we get outside ourselves to grow. However, when we take the time to allow books to work on us, they produce a new kind of life in us (Matt. 4:4).We also discuss the benefits of reading, how to both approach and read the Bible well, and we even look at thoughts from great minds past like Marcel Proust and John Milton to see what they can teach us about reading.Lastly, we consider methods for teaching reading in church and classroom settings, including an illuminating talk about how to study the Bible and some of our favorite book recommendations.Mark’s insights provide a great synthesis on the current state of reading and what we can all do to become great thinkers. We look forward to having Dr. Talbot back on the podcast soon.

In this episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we review Reactivity: How the Gospel Transforms Our Actions and Reactions by Paul David Tripp and published by Crossway.About the book: Digital media and technology are altering the way people act—and react—toward each other. Criticism, outrage, and controversy dominate social engagement and unfortunately many Christians have joined in the chaos. This book instructs believers to view digital media and technology through the lens of the gospel and points them toward a biblical framework for communication.About the author: Paul David Tripp is a pastor, award-winning author, and international conference speaker. He posts daily on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and has written numerous books, including the best-selling daily devotional, New Morning Mercies. His nonprofit ministry exists to connect the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life. Tripp lives in Philadelphia with his wife of 50+ years, Luella, and they have four grown children.Book ReviewIn an age of digital divisions and toxic communication, Paul Tripp’s Reactivity teaches us to consider our motives, and intentions when we react and speak to others.He does this by providing readers a biblical framework of communication that’s a welcomed alternative to the critical, selfish and reactive language found in much of the world today.The book is easy to read and highly practical, yet it also does what all great books do, it unfurls from its main premise into something grand.Tripp's narrative causes the reader to travel down little passages of conviction and transformation as it details topics as varied as glory, grace, sin, eternity, dignity and much more, yet it's premise, how to communicate biblically in a digital age, always shines through.According to Tripp, and Scripture, the way we talk to others must be driven by grace. We also must look beyond ourselves and focus on God’s will and glory and the needs of others when we react and communicate.For its ability to help us reconsider what we think about what we say and how we say it, Paul David Tripp’s Reactivity: How the Gospel Transforms Our Actions and Reactions is an exceptional book that convicts and transforms us to adopt Gospel and grace centered wholesome communication.Highly recommended.–Intro and outro music provided by John Fairfull.Discover more podcast episodes like this Paul Tripp Reactivity book review. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the reviewer. They do not represent any endorsement from the publisher or retailer.

In this podcast episode we talk with Ryan Denton, founder of Christ in the Wild Ministries, and author of Augustine the Evangelist: The Zeal, Hope and Methodology of the Bishop of Hippo and other books on evangelism and open air preaching.Throughout our discussion Ryan shared with us his insights about evangelism and open air preaching, specifically what it's like to be a street preacher, the difference between being a pastor and an evangelist and common evangelism "myths."We also discussed the writing process, what it's like to be a Christian author and church planting.Thank you to Ryan Denton for coming alongside us for the interview. We're proud and honored to see him grow as an author and we look forward to what God has in store for him next.To learn more about Ryan's ministry, check out Christ in the Wild's website here.Follow Ryan Denton on Twitter here.You can purchase Augustine the Evangelist and Ryan Denton's other books here and wherever books are sold.–Intro and outro music provided by John Fairfull.Discover more podcast episodes like this Ryan Denton Interview. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

In this podcast episode we talk with Art Ayris, CEO of Kingstone Studios and Publisher for Kingstone Comics.Art is a regular contributor on Christianity and media and has been interviewed by numerous outlets including FOX News, Publishers Weekly, WORLD magazine, Movieguide, and many others.He has earned multiple writing and producing awards for film and television, and he and his wife Kelly, a former television director and on-air talent, have two sons.Art also serves globally as the President of the Comic Bible Society and as Executive Pastor and trustee at First Baptist Leesburg, Florida.During the interview Art shared with us his story, and thoughts about how God uses media to move people's hearts.His insights also included discussions about how to stay faithful in whatever it is that God has called you to do, the importance of focus in ministry, and what it's like to work in the Christian media industry.Lastly, we talked with him about Kingstone Studios and Kingstone Comics, and learned how both stand out in the marketplace by offering audiences Gospel-centered content that both adheres to Scripture, and to high standards of artistic quality.We can't thank Art enough for coming on and we hope you enjoy the interview.Learn more about Art here and follow Kingstone Comics on Facebook here.Find out more about Kingstone Comics here, and Kingstone Studios here, as well as Art's latest film, No Vacancy, here.–Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.Discover more podcast episodes like this Kingstone Comics Interview. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

Proverbs 4:14-19 (KJV)Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.In this podcast episode we study Proverbs 4:14-19, which teaches us to avoid the path of wickedness, and instead choose the path of the just and righteous.Specifically, we then look at the path of the just, and learn that when we live to follow Jesus our Christian lives gets better and better spiritually as we are made more like him and get ever closer to being with him and like him in eternity.It’s not that our lives get necessarily better physically or materially, none of that is promised in scripture. However, when we commit to Christ and allow him to work and lead, our lives will get better spiritually.Christians are promised that no matter what befalls them, no matter what happens, he will continue and finish what he started in us (Phil. 1:6).We’re chosen to be and are being conformed to him, and changed into his image (Rom. 8:29, 2 Cor. 3:18). That’s what he does for us on the path of the righteous. May each of us follow the path of the righteous closely and cling to Jesus, and along way may we bring others into God’s family of light, calling them out of the darkness just as we were once called out to live in God's marvelous light (1 Pet. 2:9).–Verses mentioned in this episode: Prov. 4:14-19, Ps. 119:105, Jn. 8:12, Matt. 5:14, 1 Jn. 1:7, Jas. 1:17, Matt. 7:13, Jn. 3:19-20, Eph. 2:2-4, Heb. 10:20, Rom. 8:29, 2 Cor. 3:18, Phil. 1:6, Rom. 11:36, Rev. 22:5, 1 Jn. 3:2, Ps. 27:1, 1 Pet. 2:9, 1 Jn. 2:11, Dan. 12:3.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.Discover more podcast episodes like this one about becoming better in the Christian life. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

For this podcast episode we sat down with Daena Creel, one of the foremost authorities on the life and work of the pioneering and best-selling Christian author Grace Livingston Hill (1865-1947).Daena is also a writer, archivist, and historian. She works closely with the Hill family to preserve Grace’s legacy for future generations of readers, and is the author of The Grace Livingston Hill Cookbook: Vintage Recipes from the Holiday Books.We learned many compelling facts about Grace's life and books during the interview including an overview of her family upbringing, characteristics of her work, her writing process, and reasons for why her books are just as spiritually valuable and relevant today as they were more than a century ago.Grace's 119 books, and numerous other stories have firmly enthroned her in literary history as not just the creator of the modern Christian romance novel, but as a writer whose commitment to Gospel integrity and evangelism has led untold readers to salvation in Jesus Christ.Moreover, Grace Livingston Hill's books stand firmly as landmark examples of fiction writing used as ministry, and are essential reading for believers of all ages.You can learn more about Daena and The Grace Livingston Hill Project here.You can also learn more about Grace and connect with fans of her work on Facebook at Grace Livingston Hill Readers and at Grace Livingston Hill.Timestamps03:16 – About Daena and how she become a fan of GLH.07:11 – An overview of GLH’s life and career.11:33 – When did GLH become officially published?17:10 – Characteristics of a GLH book.18:31 – What led GLH to write so much?25:22 – What were GLH's books like mid-career?27:27 – GLH and WWI.28:30 – Grace's "formula" for writing. 34:51 – Why GLH books are valuable and relevant for modern readers. 42:38 – GLH book recommendations for new readers. 46:38 – GLH in the eyes of other authors. 48:14 – Where can people buy GLH books?55:04 – How hard is it to get all of GLH’s first printings?56:15 – Are there any lost GLH books?58:05 – How did GLH approach the craft of writing?1:11:20 – About The Grace Livingston Hill Cookbook: Vintage Recipes from the Holiday Books.1:16:37 – GLH resources and online groups.–Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.Discover more podcast episodes like this one about Daena Creel and Grace Livingston Hill. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

Episode DescriptionPsalm 148:11-14 (KJV) - Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth: Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:  Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven. He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord.In this podcast episode we look at Psalm 148. Known as the "Creation Chorus" this vivid and emotionally striking song teaches us the importance of praising God.We provide some background and context for the chapter, and discuss why it is particularity important for those in positions of prominence and influence to praise God.We also look at reasons for praising God, what it means to do so, and we examine an example from American history that shows us what it looks like when an entire society praises God.–Verses mentioned in this episode: Psalm 148:11-14, Rom. 8:20-22, Rev. 5:13, Phil. 2:9-10, Acts 4:12, Heb. 11:6, Ps. 150:6, Ps. 19:1, Jn. 1:3, Rom. 1:20, Rom. 2:11, Eph. 2:13, 1 Sam. 16:7.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.Discover more podcast episodes like this one about praising God. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

For this podcast episode we sat down with Christian radio programming and advertising executive Chris Arnzen.Chris is the talk host of Iron Sharpens Iron Radio - a Christian radio broadcast that addresses a multitude of topics from a distinctly Reformed Christian worldview.Over the years, his career in Christian media, especially radio, has taken him all around the country interviewing various pastors, authors and other Christian personalities.His decades of broadcasting experience offered us a first hand glimpse into the Christian radio industry as we talked about the current and future state of Christian radio, advice for aspiring podcast and radio hosts and the importance of being a good steward of God's word through media.Learn about Iron Sharpens Iron Radio here.Contact Chris at ChrisArnzen@gmail.com. Follow him on: Facebook, and Twitter.Please consider making donation to Iron Sharpens Iron Radio here as they are in great need of support currently.–Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.Discover more podcast episodes like this one about Chris Arnzen and Iron Sharpens Iron Radio. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

 For this podcast episode we sat down with Dr. Mark Talbot, associate professor of philosophy at Wheaton College and had an insightful and illuminating conversation about suffering and the Christian life. We also talked about the art of writing well, the intersection of Christianity and philosophy and more.Dr. Talbot hosts the When the Stars Disappear podcast, and is the author of the Suffering and the Christian Life series, including When the Stars Disappear and Give Me Understanding That I May Live.Learn about Dr. Mark Talbot here.Check out his books here. Listen to his podcast here.Learn about the Christian Scholars' Fund here - a great resource for aspiring authors!–Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.Discover more podcast episodes like this one about Christian Suffering. Subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

How do you design a well-run, effective and biblical Children’s ministry? Why is child evangelism so critical for the church? What kind of work is being done at the front lines and in our schools to lead children to Christ?In this episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we talk about all of this and more with Mark Robb, Local Director for Child Evangelism Fellowship’s East Central Florida Chapter.The importance of child evangelism cannot be stated enough. Today nearly 80% of American children are outside the walls of the local church, yet roughly 80% of people come to know Christ as their savior before the age of 14. This makes children's ministry at once the most neglected yet most fruitful branch of ministry.For 85 years CEF has been at the helm of child evangelism and helping bridge the gap between churches, communities and schools through their wonderful work and resources.For those unfamiliar, Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) is a Bible-centered organization composed of born-again believers whose purpose is to evangelize boys and girls with the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and to establish (disciple) them in the Word of God and in a local church for Christian living. In 2021 alone, CEF reached over 15M children for Christ!Learn more about CEF here.Learn more about CEF Florida here.Follow CEF on Facebook.–Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!To discover more podcast episodes like this about Child Evangelism Fellowship, subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

Ever look in the mirror and realize that you've aged? Maybe your youth's supple features have given way to time's wrinkles? Or perhaps you're not quite as fast, quick witted or energetic as you used to be?At one time or another we've all had to come to grips with the realization that our bodies are finite. Sure, we're born strong and we tend to feel invincible when we're young, but even the young are not immune to the human body's fragility. Bones break on the sports field, bruises and cuts are the common battle scars of playground games and so on.Fact is, we're all aging, our bodies have limits and they won't last forever. As such, we all groan to be rid of our decaying bodies.However, if you know Jesus as your savior you don't merely groan because your mortal physical body ails you and you want to be rid of it, as the lost do. Rather, Christians groan for a bigger reason which Paul makes clear in the opening verses of 2 Corinthians 5.In this episode we look at Paul's statements about the afterlife in this passage, and learn how, as believers, we groan not just because our bodies age but because we desire to be clothed with our immortal heavenly body which will be eternal, and when Jesus comes back, physical - the culmination of everything God originally designed for us to be at creation. We will also see how the promise of our eternal body gives us a real and lively hope, inspires our witness, and enables us to live a life marked by fearlessness.–Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!To discover more podcast episodes like this about the immortal body, subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

There is a trend today in academic circles and among the general public that advocates for imposing moral judgements on the actions of those from the past.Those who espouse such an approach are easily offended by history, and they contort it to prove their own agendas.Such approaches to historical inquiry fail to study the past for the sake of the past, nor do they acknowledge that other time periods are very unlike our own. In this episode we break down tips on how individuals can better study history, including how we can be intentional about allowing the past to speak for the past, instead of trying to impose our own moral judgements on personalities and ideas from long ago without studying them for what they really were - people wrestling with questions that were important to their own specific time and place.–Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!To discover more podcast episodes like this about how to study history, subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear. (1 Peter 1:17, KJV)The Cambridge Dictionary defines a code of conduct as: A set of rules that members of an organization or people with a particular job or position must follow.Many companies and governments have codes of conduct, but did you know that Christians also have a code of conduct to follow?In this podcast episode we look at what Peter has to say about how Christians are to conduct themselves, including what the Christian code of conduct involves and practical advice on how believers can apply it to their own lives.–Verses in this episode: 1 Pet. 1:17, 1 Jn. 4:19, 1 Pet. 1:18-19, 1 Pet. 1:20-21, 1 Pet. 1:23-25, 2 Tim. 2:15Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!Discover more podcast episodes like this about Christian conduct, subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matthew 18:5-6, KJV)God places tremendous value on children. They truly are precious in his sight. However, there are many alarming trends today that are leading Children into sin. In this episode we look at the challenges children are facing today, how they are being led to sin, what Jesus says about such things and how Christians are to respond. Ultimately, parents are to protect their children and raise them to be like Jesus, and it is up to all Christians to guard God’s institutions from those who seek to undermine them. No matter how difficult doing so may be, we can remain confident that it is not God’s will “that one of these little ones should perish.”–Verses mentioned in this episode: Matthew 18:5-6, Matthew 18:10, Matthew 18:14Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!Discover more podcast episodes like this about protecting children, subscribe to our email list.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.

An Interview with Miriam Huffman Rockness of The Lilias Trotter LegacyIn this special episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we talk with author Miriam Huffman Rockness (Keep These Things (Doubleday), Home: God’s Design (Zondervan), and A Passion for the Impossible: The Life Of Lilias Trotter (Discovery House). Miriam also serves as a member of The Lilias Trotter Advisory Board, the governing body of The Lilias Trotter Legacy.Throughout the interview Miriam shares about the life, work and impact of Lilias Trotter (1853-1928) - a pioneering missionary to North Africa, prolific devotional writer and brilliant visual artist of the Victorian era.She also talks about The Lilias Trotter Legacy which strives to...Gather, preserve, and make accessible the written and artistic work of Lilias TrotterPresent to a global audience the thought, works, and life of Lilias TrotterUse the enduring legacy of Lilias Trotter to convey the light and love of Jesus to othersLastly, she gives candid firsthand advice for aspiring biographers, including discussions about creating timelines, transcribing sources and being aware that writing doesn't always come with a road map.It was our pleasure to interview Miriam and learn more about Lilias. Both of these women remind us that it is vital to believe in a work of art so much, and its impact for God, that you press forward with it regardless of the worldly success it may or may not bring.Episode Chapters0:49 Introductions4:08 About Lilias Trotter and the importance of her legacy17:12 Lilias Trotter's techniques for witnessing to Muslims23:53 Lilias Trotter's art28:26 Lilias Trotter's writing41:20 Advice for aspiring biographers58:50 About The Lilias Trotter Legacy1:11:20 Conclusion - Thoughts on how God works in our livesHelpful LinksAbout Lilias TrotterMany Beautiful Things trailer (a film about Lilias)Lilias Trotter Legacy: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter–To listen to more episodes like this interview about Lilias Trotter, subscribe. Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.

Introduction In this episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we review The Wisdom Pyramid: Feeding Your Soul in a Post-Truth World by Brett McCracken and published by Crossway.Brett McCracken is a senior editor for The Gospel Coalition and the author of Uncomfortable; Hipster Christianity; and Gray Matters. He is an elder at Southlands Church Santa Ana where he lives with his wife Kira and two sons.Book ReviewThe Wisdom Pyramid comes highly recommended for its candid discussions about what technology is doing to our minds, relationships and well-being and for its Biblical attempt at synthesizing a framework that Christians can use to help them establish lives oriented towards proper priorities and based on proper foundations, i.e. wise living.Overall a challenging, thought-provoking and applicable read on wisdom.–To listen to more book reviews like this Gospel wisdom book review, subscribe.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the reviewer. They do not represent any endorsement from the publisher or retailer.

In this episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we review Can We Trust the Gospels? by Peter J. Williams and published by Crossway.Peter J. Williams (PhD, University of Cambridge) is the principal of Tyndale House and chair of the International Greek New Testament Project.In Can We Trust the Gospels? Peter Williams presents a concise but highly grounded and well-rounded study on the historical reliability of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John).Many times, people can display concern about the accuracy of the translations and transmission of the Gospel narratives, and their historical reliability.Williams shows - through an engaging style, plenty of charts and meticulous yet wholly understandable research - that the Gospels can in fact be trusted.To do this, he looks at a wide variety of compelling topics, including details about the cultural, geographic, etymological and social specificity of the Gospels.He also examines what early contemporary secular sources had to say about Jesus and Christianity while also considering the history of translations, early manuscripts and more.Can We Trust the Gospels? is one of the best books we’ve reviewed in 2021. As a succinct yet thorough book defending the reliability of the Gospels it is perhaps unparalleled. Essential reading for all Christians and skeptics alike.–To listen to more book reviews like this Gospel apologetics book review, subscribe.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the reviewer. They do not represent any endorsement from the publisher or retailer.

In this episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we review Lead: 12 Gospel Principles for Leadership in the Church by Paul David Tripp and published by Crossway.Dr. Paul David Tripp is a pastor, event speaker, and a best-selling and award-winning author. With more than 30 books and video series on Christian living, Paul’s driving passion is to connect the transforming power of Jesus Christ to everyday life.Lead is a wonderful book on leadership that stands out in a crowded genre as a refreshing, God-focused book on Biblical leadership.For its refreshing attention on the importance of hearts, attitudes, motivations and character as they each pertain to leadership, and for its tendency to go against the grain and present leadership Biblically in a character over performance mindset, Lead comes highly recommended as a general Biblical leadership book and especially as a ministry one. –To listen to more book reviews like this ministry leadership book review, subscribe.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the reviewer. They do not represent any endorsement from the publisher or retailer.

In this special episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we talk with singer-songwriter Joanne Hogg.“Jo” is a Northern Irish singer and songwriter, best known for her work as the lead singer and songwriter with the Celtic Christian progressive rock and pop band Iona. She has also worked on numerous solo projects, including most recently The Map Project Parts 1 & 2, and she is involved in various ministries as well.Throughout the episode, Jo shares about her early years as a missionary child, her transition from med-school to music and memorable highlights from her inspiring career.Other topics of interest include candid conversations on the importance of Biblical literacy, apologetics and advice for young musicians.Specifically, one of the biggest pieces of advice she gives for young artists is that they take responsibility for their choices instead of always trying to figure out what God wants them to do.As she states: “God is less concerned about which thing you choose. He’s more concerned about how your attitude is to other people and what your mindset is. Don't stress about the details that you think God might want you to do, because you don't have to change the world to validate your existence.”Throughout Jo also talks about how the recent pandemic caused her to confront what she really believed about Christianity.For her, this involved moving away from defining truth by emotional experiences, subjective feelings, and extra-Biblical revelations and instead learning truth solely from what God says in his word.Ultimately, Jo’s story illustrates how Christians need to be equipped to give a reason for the hope they have. (1 Pet. 3:15)Moreover, her insights encourage us to return to God’s word as the sole authority for our lives.–You can follow Jo via Bandcamp, email, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and on her website. To listen to more episodes like this Joanne Hogg interview, subscribe. Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan.Song excerpts from the album Beyond These Shores (Murlough Bay, Edge of the World, Healing) © Copyright 1993 Word Records. Used with permission. Song excerpts from the album Journey Into The Morn (When I Survey) © Copyright 1994 Alliance Music. Used with permission. 

In this episode of The Greater Heritage podcast we review What's the Difference?: Manhood and Womanhood Defined According to the Bible by John Piper and published by Crossway.John Piper is founder and teacher of desiringGod.org and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He has authored numerous books.What does the Bible say about men and women? How are they to relate to one another? These are the subjects of this excellent primer on Biblical manhood and womanhood by John Piper.Throughout the book Piper provides compelling reasons and practical examples for why mature masculinity and femininity give men and women the greatest scope for natural, pure and mature expression. The book's greatest strength is that it sets in focus men and women's heart attitudes, general dispositions and intentions as the motivations from which the actions of Biblically mature masculinity and femininity spring.Because of this, men and women can act as God has designed them to act even in difficult situations and circumstances.For example, a man that is wheelchair bound can still be willing and act in way that is inclined to care for, provide and protect his wife even if he is physically unable to do so because he acts from a heart that desires to treat his wife as God has designed him to.Thus, What's the Difference also teaches that God’s glory is the object and reason for why Christian men and women are to relate to each other as God designed them to.We highly recommended the book as a concise but thorough treatment on complementary male and female relations from a balanced Biblical view that treats God as the object and reason for how Christians are to relate to the opposite sex.–To listen to more book reviews like this Biblical gender roles book review, subscribe.Are you a Christian writer looking to publish? Learn more.Intro and outro music provided by Five Minute Plan. Be sure to check them out!Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review are solely those of the reviewer. They do not represent any endorsement from the publisher or retailer. Image © Copyright 2021 Crossway.