On Using Authority Well (Ep. 345)

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan and Mark are joined by Ben Lacey and Dr. Matthew Bingham to discuss Bingham’s new book A Heart Aflame for God: A Reformed Approach to Spiritual Formation. Together they survey some of the popular approaches to spiritual formation shaping evangelicals today and show why each tends to sideline regeneration and the sufficiency of God’s Word. 

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Alex Duke fills in for Mark Dever to talk with Jonathan Leeman about his book, Using Authority Well: A Concise Guide for Men. Jonathan makes the case that authority is not a necessary evil but a gift from God; one meant to create and build up life, as pictured in 2 Samuel 23 and Psalm 72, rather than to exploit or destroy. 

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Mark Dever sits down with Sean DeMars to talk about his book Redemption Song, a short and approachable primer on congregational singing. Using Moses' song in Exodus 15 as a lens, they explore why God's people sing, how the regulative principle guides our worship (and why it needn't be scary or restrictive), and why singing is part of the word ministry of the church that pastors, not just music leaders, are accountable for. 

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan talks with Ryan Robertson about his new book (co-authored with Matt Bennett), The Path to Being a Missionary. Together they unpack why "I'm called" is better understood as aspiration tested by a local church, and why Ryan so often tells eager candidates to wait. 

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan talks to Mark and Connie Dever, a candid vulnerable conversation about being a pastor's wife.

In this special live episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman sits down with hymn writer, worship professor, and pastor Matt Boswell to talk about the craft and calling of writing hymns for the church. They also explore what a hymn writer and a theologian each see, how Matt writes with specific suffering church members in mind, why singing is meant to be horizontal as well as vertical, and what to do if you don't like your church's music (spoiler: sing anyway).Note: this episode was recorded live and has some audio issues throughout.

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever are joined by David Lawrence, pastor of Erbil Baptist Church, and Jeremy Barker of the Mustard Seed Foundation, to discuss gospel work in Kurdistan — the semi-autonomous Kurdish region of northern Iraq. 

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Caleb Morell and Mark Dever sit down with Australian author Tony Payne (co-author of The Trellis and the Vine) to discuss his new book, Let the Word Dwell Richly. Payne makes the case that alongside the public preaching of the Word, the New Testament everywhere assumes a "one another word" — believers speaking Scripture and its implications to one another for mutual spiritual benefit.

In this special episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever welcome John Piper to reflect on his book The Pleasures of God, newly reissued by Crossway. Together they explore why God's self-exaltation is not vanity but love, how grace overflows from a God who is full and free, the connection between God's glory and His happiness, and why a gloomy view of God distorts everything downstream. 

In this episode of Pastors Talk, Jonathan Leeman and Mark Dever discuss the unusual sermon Mark preached on July 5th, 2026 — the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence; tackling the question, "Are we celebrating the 250th anniversary of a sin?" Along the way they reflect on when to depart from expositional preaching for a topical occasion, rightly ordered love of country versus idolatry.