White Horse Inn
415 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 days ago - ★★★★★ - 2K ratingsDo all paths lead to God? Is the Bible history or mythology? Are we saved by grace or good works? Featuring conversations with Christians from a variety traditions, this program is designed to give you a better understanding of what you believe and why you believe it.
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Episodes
God’s Grace vs. Human Striving
July 11, 2021 07:00 - 20.2 MBIn Genesis 29, Jacob the deceiver is himself deceived. Though he had intended to marry Rachel, he was first tricked into marrying her older sister. Later, as she struggles with infertility, Rachel gives Jacob her maidservant to be a kind of surrogate mother. When two sons are born to her in this way, Rachel believes that she has “wrestled with God and her sister and prevailed.” But if, according to Paul, Sarah and Hagar represent covenants of grace and works, what are we to think about the e...
Finding Yourself in God’s Story
July 07, 2021 07:00 - 13.6 MBWHI Classic • What are the stories we tell ourselves, and how do these stories shape what we believe and how we live? On this program, the hosts are taking a look at four Ds: drama, doctrine, doxology, and discipleship. As they unpack these key concepts, they’ll help us to see that every belief system is rooted in some kind of narrative or story that ends up forming a person’s core values, goals, and habits (originally aired 01-01-17). __________ Become a partner and you will receive all...
Stairway to Heaven
July 04, 2021 07:00 - 18.2 MBMany people today think of religion as a stairway that leads to heaven. Basically, it’s an upward path that all of us are meant to ascend by our own good works. In Genesis 28, however, Jacob encounters a great stairway between heaven and earth, but he’s not invited to climb it. Instead, God graciously descends the stairway and makes one-sided promises to Jacob, who is fast asleep at the bottom. What’s the point of this chapter and how does it foreshadow the work of Jesus Christ? On this epis...
Repentance & Personal Transformation
June 30, 2021 07:00 - 15.7 MBWHI Classic • On the last edition of the White Horse Inn, the hosts discussed the problems associated with a "try it, you'll like it" approach to the Christian faith. But does the Christian faith make a practical difference in a person's life? Should converts to Christianity expect to experience real transformation? How should we think about remaining sin? Will Christians continue to struggle with habitual sins, or is that possibly a sign that they are not really true believers? The hosts ta...
Blessed in the Garments of the Firstborn
June 27, 2021 07:00 - 16.8 MBAs we saw last week, difficulties arise when we attempt to read the story of Jacob and Esau as a traditional morality tale. In reality, the book of Genesis does not present Jacob as a hero to be emulated, but as a great sinner in whom God’s mysterious grace is richly on display. And as we’ll see in Genesis 27, Jacob actually deceives his father by clothing himself in his brother’s garments and calling himself “Esau.” So then, why does God allow him to receive his brother’s blessing? On this ...
The Gospel of Pragmatism
June 23, 2021 07:00 - 15.2 MBWHI Classic • Why do so many contemporary Churches or best-selling Christian books focus almost exclusively on practical application rather than doctrinal truth? Why do most Christians prefer to talk about their own testimonies of changed lives, rather than arguing for the truth of the Christian faith? On this edition of the White Horse Inn, the hosts take a look at the philosophy of Pragmatism and its effects on contemporary Christian thought and practice (originally aired 11-20-11). ____...
Grace & Election in the Story of Jacob
June 20, 2021 07:00 - 16.9 MBThe story of Jacob and Esau raises a number of important questions. Why did God choose Jacob in favor of Esau? Was it due to some kind of foreseen virtue on Jacob’s part? In reality, that approach fails on a number of levels, since Jacob is presented throughout Genesis as a schemer, deceiver, and master-manipulator. In Romans 9, Paul argues that ultimately, the story of Jacob and Esau is about “God’s purpose in election—not because of works, but because of him who calls.” Shane Rosenthal dis...
Making Disciples: The Mission & Its Methods 2
June 16, 2021 07:00 - 15.2 MBWHI Classic • On this special edition of the White Horse Inn recorded before a live audience at the Desiring God conference in Minneapolis, the hosts continue their discussion of the marks and mission of the Church based on the words of the Great Commission and also take questions from the audience (originally aired 11-13-11). __________ Get our new collection, The Spirit of the Age: Challenging the Alternative Gospels of Our Time. Just go to whitehorseinn.org/spiritoftheage. _________...
The Mission & Its Methods 2
June 16, 2021 07:00 - 15.2 MBWHI Classic: On this special edition of the White Horse Inn recorded before a live audience at the Desiring God conference in Minneapolis, the hosts continue their discussion of the marks and mission of the Church based on the words of the Great Commission and also take questions from the audience (originally aired 11-13-11). __________ Get our new collection, The Spirit of the Age: Challenging the Alternative Gospels of Our Time. Just go to whitehorseinn.org/spiritoftheage. __________...
The Sacrifice of Isaac
June 13, 2021 07:00 - 18.2 MBWhy did God call Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac? Why would he ask a loving parent to even consider such a thing? Is this story a kind of object lesson meant to show us how much we should be willing to give up for God, or is something else being revealed in this unsettling account? What if the focus of the narrative actually centers on that which God is promising to sacrifice for us in the fullness of time? Shane Rosenthal discusses the significance of this scene from Genesis 22 with Matt...
Making Disciples: The Mission & Its Methods 1
June 09, 2021 07:00 - 16.3 MBWHI Classic • Many churches in our day put a lot of emphasis on "being the church" or living missionally. Other churches focus on the worship experience, spiritual formation, or the pursuit of various social and political agendas. What is the mission of the Church? How are we to make disciples of Jesus Christ? Turning to the Great Commission itself and various passages that unpack it, this special live edition of the White Horse Inn, recorded at the Desiring God conference in Minneapolis, fo...
Grace & Works Contrasted
June 06, 2021 07:00 - 17.7 MBIn his Genesis commentary, Walter Brueggemann notes that in chapters 16 to 18, Abraham and Sarah “are not offered as models of faith but as models of disbelief.” In this part of the narrative, he says, “the call is not embraced, but is rejected as non-sensical.” This helps to explain why the couple sought to fulfill God’s promise with Hagar’s assistance. But as Paul explains in Galatians chapter 4, this entire narrative is a tale of two covenants: one of grace, and another of works. Shane Ro...
The New Covenant
June 02, 2021 07:00 - 15.1 MBWHI Classic • Over five hundred years before the time of Christ, Jeremiah prophesied that the days would come when God would "make a new covenant with the house of Israel" (Jer 31:31). So how is this new covenant fulfilled in Jesus' life and sacrificial death? How is it different from the old covenant received by Moses on Mount Sinai? Is it true that before Christ the Old Testament saints were really saved by works? On this edition of the program the hosts will discuss these questions as the...
Abraham, Sarah, & Hagar
May 30, 2021 07:00 - 16.5 MBThe story of Abraham is a record of both faith and doubt. While we’re told in Genesis 15 that “Abraham believed the Lord and it was counted to him as righteousness,” in the very next chapter we find him agreeing with his wife Sarah to attempt to bring about the fulfillment of God’s promises by impregnating her maidservant Hagar. Later in the story, Abraham actually falls on his face and laughs at God as he reiterates the promise that his wife Sarah, even in her advanced age, would conceive a...
The Gospel of God
May 26, 2021 07:00 - 14.1 MBWHI Classic • If you ask contemporary Christians what they think the gospel is, you're likely to get a number of responses that focus on an individual's life and testimony. But is the gospel really about what God does for us today? Is the good news that we are called to proclaim in the Great Commission chiefly about our changed lives, or about Christ's life, death, and resurrection? On this program, the hosts tackle this issue as they discuss the implications of Paul's comments on the "Gospe...
Failed Bible Heroes
May 23, 2021 07:00 - 16.9 MBIn Genesis 3:15, God promises that one day a seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. What would happen if we began to read the rest of Scripture in the light of this promise? What would result if we stopped to consider whether subsequent Bible characters and heroes qualified to be the one promised who would ultimately defeat God’s enemy and restore order to his creation? Reading the story this way helps us to see with greater clarity the ways in which other Bible characters are pre...
By Grace Alone Through Faith Alone
May 19, 2021 07:00 - 14.8 MBWHI Classic • Regardless of the denomination, most Christians would argue that the gospel of Jesus Christ is a free gift of God's grace and mercy that no one deserves. Both by his righteous life and sacrificial death, Jesus provides for us what we cannot provide for ourselves. But at this point, some argue that the free gift of God's grace still has to be "accepted," and that it is on the basis of our embracing the gospel that we are saved. So what do you think? Are we saved by "choosing" to...
The Gospel in Genesis
May 16, 2021 07:00 - 14.6 MBIn the beginning, God created man in his image and likeness. What are the implications of this important truth, and how was that image twisted and distorted after the fall? What was so significant about Adam and Eve’s transgression in the first place, and how do the effects of that original sin continue to echo and reverberate throughout the rest of Scripture? Finally, how is the gospel of Christ hinted at and foreshadowed in these early chapters of Genesis? Shane Rosenthal discusses these q...
Proclaiming the Gospel in an Age of Super Apostles
May 12, 2021 07:00 - 15.2 MBWHI Classic • In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul warned his readers about various slick preachers that he referred to as the "super-apostles." Though their style was smooth and rhetorically attractive, the substance of the gospel was either being ignored or distorted. So Paul admonishes the Corinthians church saying, "if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus...you put up with it readily enough!" On this edition of the White Horse Inn, the hosts discuss Paul's concerns about st...
The Multiverse & The Mystery of Life’s Origin
May 09, 2021 07:00 - 18 MBDoes the idea of the multiverse provide a good explanation for all the fine-tuning we see throughout our universe? Is there any way to test the multiverse hypothesis or does it operate as a kind of unquestioned dogma? How do naturalistic scientists explain the origin of life or the complex amount of information that exists in our own genetic code? Shane Rosenthal discusses these questions and more with Stephen Meyer as they continue their conversation begun last week related to the release o...
The Embassy of Grace
May 05, 2021 07:00 - 17 MBWHI Classic • It's common today to hear in various sectors of the church today that truly missional Christians are those who obey the call to participate in the redemption and reconciliation of the world. Some even say that the church is not to be the bearer of the message, but should itself be the message. Are these views consistent with Scripture? Is redemption or reconciliation something to be achieved, or rather a completed event? On this program, the hosts discuss these views as they in...
The Return of the God Hypothesis
May 02, 2021 07:00 - 19.5 MBHow do contemporary physicists and cosmologists explain the origin of the universe? If in the very beginning there was no space, time, or matter, then what could have caused the Big Bang? Also, as scientists have studied the exquisite nature of our finely tuned universe, some have concluded that this points us toward the existence of some kind of divine “super-intellect” who is responsible for the laws of nature and the origin of life. On this edition of the program, Shane Rosenthal discusse...
Wisdom for Life & The Cross of Christ
April 28, 2021 07:00 - 15.6 MBWHI Classic • One of Paul's biggest concerns about the Corinthian church was that they were being distracted from the gospel. So he wrote to them saying, "Greeks seek wisdom, and Jews seek miraculous signs, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles." On this program, the hosts interact with this text and discuss the incredible popularity of "wisdom for life" style messages in Christian books and pulpits across the country. Has the gospel of Christ ...
How to Read & Apply the Old Testament
April 25, 2021 07:00 - 19.4 MBMany Christians find it difficult to understand the Old Testament. Not only is it full of obscure rituals and strange laws, but it also includes a mixture of inspiring and horrifying stories. So how are we to make sense of all these narratives, laws, and rituals? What rules are still in effect, and how should we apply them to our lives today? More importantly, since Jesus taught that all Scripture bears witness to himself (Jn. 5:39), how are we to authentically find Christ throughout the Old...
What is the Gospel?
April 21, 2021 07:00 - 15.6 MBWHI Classic • What is the Gospel? The Great Commission calls us to preach the gospel to every creature, but just what is this gospel that we are to proclaim? Some say it's being born again or asking Jesus into your heart, while others say that it's a call for us to participate in Christ's ongoing work of reconciliation and redemption through building a more just and loving society. The hosts interact with these views and others as they seek to clarify the true meaning of the gospel of Christ...
What is the Gospel
April 21, 2021 07:00 - 15.6 MBWHI Classic: What is the Gospel? The Great Commission calls us to preach the gospel to every creature, but just what is this gospel that we are to proclaim? Some say it's being born again or asking Jesus into your heart, while others say that it's a call for us to participate in Christ's ongoing work of reconciliation and redemption through building a more just and loving society. The hosts interact with these views and others as they seek to clarify the true meaning of the gospel of Christ ...
The Messenger of the Covenant
April 18, 2021 07:00 - 17.4 MBAfter their exodus from Egypt, God announced to the people of Israel that he would “send an angel to guard them on the way and to bring them to the place he has prepared” (Ex. 23:20). Who was this angel, and how are the words of this passage echoed and alluded to throughout all of Scripture? What does this text, as well as others like it, end up revealing about God’s triune nature? On this program, Shane Rosenthal continues his conversation with Matt Foreman and Doug Van Dorn about their new...
Preaching the Word in a Culture of Narcissism
April 14, 2021 07:00 - 17.3 MBWHI Classic • Our age is not known for its love of the truth. Rather, some are calling it a culture of narcissism. And unfortunately, evidence of this is found not only in our secular culture but in countless evangelical churches and bestselling Christian book titles. In his second letter to Timothy Paul warned that in the last days people would become lovers of themselves and would not endure sound teaching. With itching ears, he said, they'll raise up teachers to suit their own passions, a...
The Angel of the Lord
April 11, 2021 07:00 - 18.2 MBWhat are we to make of all those passages in the Old Testament in which “the Angel of the Lord” appears on the scene and proceeds to speak and act as God himself? In their new book, The Angel of the Lord: A Biblical, Historical, and Theological Study, Matt Foreman and Doug Van Dorn argue that this mysterious Angel appears much more frequently than many people realize since he is called by a variety of names including the Angel, the Name, the Glory, the Face, the Right Hand, and the Word. Sha...
Seeing Christ in All of Scripture
April 07, 2021 07:00 - 14.5 MBWHI Classic • What is the Bible principally about? Some say it's about life transformation, while others say it's a recipe book for achieving health, wealth and prosperity. But what if you had the chance to listen to Jesus himself explain the basic message of Scripture? Interestingly enough, this is exactly what we find in Luke chapter 24 as Jesus walks with his disciples on the road to Emmaus. On this edition of the White Horse Inn, the hosts walk through this fascinating chapter and discus...
The Road to Emmaus
April 04, 2021 07:00 - 18.7 MBIn Luke’s account of the resurrection, we are told of two disciples who encountered Jesus as they walked from Jerusalem to the nearby village of Emmaus. Though their eyes were kept from recognizing him, Jesus revealed why it was necessary that the Christ should suffer, and “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Lk. 24:26-27). What Old Testament passages would Jesus likely have discussed with these disciples? Sh...
Doctrine & Life
March 31, 2021 07:00 - 15.8 MBWHI Classic • Who is Jesus, and why should he be worshipped? Was his death merely an example of self-sacrifice, or did he actually atone for the sins of the world? These are crucial doctrinal questions, yet many Christians in our time say they are not interested in theology or doctrine, but prefer instead to focus on what Jesus can do for us in our lives today. Is it possible to be a faithful Christian without being concerned about doctrine? That's the topic on this edition of the White Hors...
A Suffering Messiah?
March 28, 2021 07:00 - 21.5 MBOn this episode, we’ll be concluding our brief series through the Servant Songs by taking a look at the song of the Suffering Servant from Isaiah 53. Where exactly does this famous hymn begin, and is there any evidence that readers of Isaiah believed it pointed to the coming Messiah? Are there any references to a suffering messiah in the Dead Sea Scrolls or other ancient Jewish texts? Shane Rosenthal discusses these issues with Dr. Craig Evans, author of The Holman Quicksource Guide to the D...
Consumers or Disciples?
March 24, 2021 07:00 - 16.2 MBWHI Classic • In John chapter 6, Jesus begins to attract very large crowds. But is this necessarily a good thing? Are all the people in these crowds really disciples, or merely consumers who are looking to Jesus to solve their temporal problems? How does Jesus deal with this issue, and what are the implications of all this for our own view of ministry and discipleship (originally aired 06-26-11). __________ Right now at White Horse Inn, as a way of saying thank you for a gift of any amou...
I Am He Who Blots Out Your Transgressions
March 21, 2021 07:00 - 19 MBIn Isaiah chapter 43 God reveals that he alone is the redeemer of his people, and that “there is no other savior.” So what are the implications of these words for the way we think about religion in general, and our view of Jesus in particular? How does Isaiah’s prophecy help us to better understand the significance of Christ’s person and work? On this program, Shane Rosenthal continues his discussion of the Servant Songs of Isaiah with Dr. Andrew Abernethy, author of Discovering Isaiah, and ...
What Would Jesus Preach?
March 17, 2021 07:00 - 17.8 MBWHI Classics • What kind of sermon would Jesus preach if he was invited to address your local congregation? As strange as it may seem, we actually have an example of this kind of thing recorded for us in Luke chapter 4. Speaking in a Jewish synagogue, Jesus opens the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and begins to proclaim himself as the fulfillment of this ancient prophecy. On this edition of the program the hosts walk through this amazing passage, along with the complete text from Isaiah underl...
The Servant Songs of Isaiah
March 14, 2021 08:00 - 19.2 MBOn this edition of the White Horse Inn, we’re beginning a new three-part series on the Servant Songs of Isaiah. Who was Isaiah and what were the circumstances in which he wrote his prophecy? Was this book written by more than one author? What are the Servant Songs, and how do these prophecies point ahead to the coming of Christ and his work of redemption? Joining Shane Rosenthal to discuss these questions and more is Dr. Andrew Abernethy, author of The Book of Isaiah and God’s Kingdom. ___...
Discipleship on an Age of Mission Creep
March 10, 2021 08:00 - 15 MBWHI Classic • Take a visit to your local Christian bookstore and you're likely to find numerous books on discipleship that encourage spiritual disciplines such as journaling, solitude, silence, or fasting. You're also likely to find books that focus on discipleship at home, or work, in financial decision making or in the area of personal relationships. But you will probably be hard-pressed to find books on becoming a disciple through learning the Christian faith in all of its dramatic and do...
Crossless Christianity
March 07, 2021 08:00 - 16.5 MBWhile “Christless Christianity” continues to be a problem in many churches around the world, too often, even in places where Jesus’ name is frequently mentioned, he’s presented as a divine therapist or motivational speaker who encourages us to “be all we can be.” In other cases, he’s a kind of political organizer who calls us various degrees of social activism. What seems to be missing, however, is the singular focus of the Apostle Paul who wrote to the Corinthians saying, “I decided to know...
Lost Tools of Discipleship
March 03, 2021 08:00 - 18.3 MBWHI Classics • Jesus tells his followers to "make disciples of all nations." But what does it mean to become a disciple, and what are today's churches doing to fulfill this mission? Is this something for new converts only, or is it also something that we all participate in and pass on to our children? On this edition of the White Horse Inn, the hosts will interact with these questions (originally aired 02-27-11). ___________ Right now at White Horse Inn, as a way of saying thank you for ...
Liberalism, Evangelicalism, & Historic Christianity
February 28, 2021 08:00 - 18.9 MBThough evangelicals and liberals are often at each other’s throats in the culture wars, this division is best understood as a kind of “sibling rivalry.” Whereas liberals tend to focus on creating “our best world now,” evangelicals talk about having “your best life now.” But either way, the focus is on what we are doing either individually or collectively, right here and now. In contrast, the historic Christian faith has always focused our attention on God and his grand story of redemption wh...
The Strategic Plan
February 24, 2021 08:00 - 16.5 MBWHI Classic • In the Great Commission, Jesus did not merely tell his followers to "go into all the world," but he also gave us specific instructions for the mission of the church. He said we are to preach, baptize and make disciples. Sounds pretty simple, but are these elements high on the priority of the average Christian church? How about in your own Christian life (originally aired 02-20-11). __________ our extensive archive of extended length shows, you will also receive a copy of Mi...
Radical Pietism: The Core of Liberalism
February 21, 2021 08:00 - 19.4 MBAccording to a recent Pew study, less than 30% of evangelicals were able to identify Protestantism as the faith which embraces the doctrine of “justification by faith alone.” On this program, the hosts will attempt to demonstrate that most contemporary Protestants, whether liberal or conservative, actually have more in common with radical Anabaptist beliefs than they do with the theology of the Protestant Reformation with its emphasis on sola gratia, sola fide, and sola scriptura (originally...
Abrahamic Faiths
February 17, 2021 08:00 - 13.3 MBWHI Classic • What is the relationship between Christianity and other "Abrahamic faith traditions?" Is Abraham really the father of Judaism, Islam and Christianity, and if so, does this mean that each of these religions are legitimate ways to God? What are we to do with Abraham himself and the other Old Testament patriarchs? Since they didn't have explicit faith in Christ, how can Jesus be the only way of salvation (originally aired 02-13-11). __________ If you become a Partner of White ...
Christianity vs. Progressive Theology
February 14, 2021 08:00 - 18.8 MBIn his bestselling book The Universal Christ, progressive theologian Richard Rohr claims that the doctrine of original sin was invented by Augustine and that the Bible actually teaches the “inherent goodness of human nature.” So what are the implications of this view on the way progressive Christians think about salvation in general and the atonement in particular? Shane Rosenthal discusses these questions and more as he continues his conversation with Alisa Childers, author of Another Gospe...
Is Faith in Christ Necessary?
February 10, 2021 08:00 - 12.6 MBWHI Classic • According to a recent Pew study, 70% of Americans agreed with the idea that "many religions can lead to eternal life." What's more striking is that when this same question was put to self-identified evangelical Christians, 57% agreed. So, is this view correct or is faith in Christ the only way to heaven? That's the focus of this edition of the White Horse Inn as the hosts continue their series through the Great Commission (originally aired 02-06-11). __________ To receive o...
Progressive Christianity: Another Gospel?
February 07, 2021 08:00 - 20.1 MBIn her new book, Another Gospel, Alisa Childers argues that “progressive Christianity is not simply a shift in the Christian view of social issues. It’s not simply permission to embrace messiness and authenticity in Christian life. It’s an entirely different religion—with another Jesus and another gospel.” On this episode, Shane Rosenthal talks with Alisa about her experience in a progressive church, and why she ended up concluding that a false gospel lies at the heart of this movement. __...
The Mission Statement
February 03, 2021 08:00 - 14.8 MBWHI Classic • The Great Commission is both deep in its intensity (making disciples, not just converts) and wide in its extensiveness (“into all the world”). But even where it was once strongly preached and professed, the Gospel's light seems today to be a flickering candle. How do we take the message of the gospel into all the world? On this edition of the program the hosts discuss the meaning of Christ's mission statement in the context of today's religious pluralism (originally aired 01-30...
The Rise & Triumph of the Modern Self
January 31, 2021 08:00 - 19.8 MBHow did so many people in our day come to believe that sexuality is at the core of a person’s individual identity? And how is it that inner psychology and subjective feelings came to have more cultural authority than a person’s actual biology? Shane Rosenthal discusses these questions and more with Carl Trueman, author of The Rise & Triumph of the Modern Self. __________ Become a partner and you will receive all of the White Horse Inn extended episodes. Head over to whitehorseinn.org/pod...
Exile, Exodus & Conquest
January 27, 2021 08:00 - 14.2 MBWHI Classic • Starting with Matthew’s Gospel is like walking into the middle of a movie. We have to go back to the Old Testament in order to see the unfolding plot of which Jesus Christ is the main character. On this program the hosts will explore the themes of exile, exodus, and conquest showing how they each culminate in the great announcement that Jesus Christ has been given "all authority in heaven and earth" to judge, to save, and to reign forever (originally aired 01-23-11). ________...