The Broken Wharfe Podcast

Can a Christian trust in God and still be anxious? Is anxiety always rooted in sin? In this episode of the Broken Wharfe podcast, Dr J. Ryan Davidson joins John-Mark to discuss what the Bible has to say about anxiety and how the gospel addresses this complex issue. Dr. Davidson explains that anxiety can sometimes be the result of a lack of trust in God, his sovereignty, his care, and his providential direction. In such cases, Christians are called to repent and to look again to the Lord and his promises. But not every feeling of nervousness or uneasiness is necessarily sinful. Our bodies can experience anxiety-like feelings even when our hearts are resting in the Lord. Yet the gospel gives every Christian suffering with anxiety wonderful hope. Christ owns the believer body and soul, and has promised to sustain them. The ultimate remedy for anxiety is found in the hope of Christ's return, when every anxious thought and feeling will finally be gone and every Christian will rejoice in him. Dr Davidson's treatment of anxiety is sensitive and pastoral, but also practical and direct. This episode is a must listen for every Christian thinking through anxiety.CHAPTERS:00:00 Opening00:51 Introduction to Dr Ryan Davidson and his booklet "Thinking Through Anxiety"04:55 Understanding Anxiety: Distinguishing between Physiological and Sinful Anxiety14:40 How the Gospel Addresses Anxiety18:16 Practical Ways to Respond to Anxiety24:46 Putting Anxious Thoughts “On the Back Burner”35:12 The Means of Grace & the Hope of Christ's ReturnGET THE BOOKLETThinking Through Anxiety by Dr J. Ryan Davidson. Get your copy for only £2.50 👉https://brokenwharfe.com/product/thinking-through-anxiety/  ALSO SEEThinking Through Addiction by Dr J. Ryan Davidson.Get your copy for only £2.50 👉https://brokenwharfe.com/product/thinking-through-addiction/BOTH AVALIABLE AS E-BOOKS AND AUDIOBOOKS How has God's word helped shape your thinking about anxiety? Comment below and subscribe to Broken Wharfe for more conversations about the Christian life, theology, and books.#anxiety #anxietyandfaith #thegospelandanxietySend us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

Why must preachers call sinners to repent immediately if fallen people cannot come to Christ without grace?In Episode 50, John-Mark and Oliver Allmand-Smith are joined by Dr Robert Strivens, Director of the Reformed Baptist Study Centre, to discuss Andrew Fuller and the duty of calling all people to immediate repentance and faith.Drawing on Fuller’s The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation, Robert explains the difference between physical and guilty moral inability, Fuller’s answer to hyper-Calvinism, and how God uses gospel preaching to bring sinners to Christ.Robert then distils Fuller’s concluding reflections into seven lessons for evangelistic preaching. Ministers must preach without discrimination, direct sinners away from themselves and towards Christ, urge and plead rather than merely explain, call for genuine conversion rather than outward reform, and leave every hearer in no doubt of their duty to repent and believe now.EPISODE RESOURCESRobert’s article, “Andrew Fuller and the Call to Immediate Repentance”:https://rbstudycentre.com/andrew-fuller-and-the-call-to-immediate-repentance-lessons-for-evangelistic-preaching-today/The Reformed Baptist Study Centre:https://rbstudycentre.com/LISTENER DISCOUNTUse code brokenwharfepodcast at checkout for £5/$5 off any of these three related titles:The Seraphic Samuel Pearce by Michael A. G. Haykin:https://brokenwharfe.com/product/the-seraphic-samuel-pearce-the-piety-and-theology-of-a-particular-baptist-pastor/History of the English Calvinistic Baptists, 1771–1892 by Robert W. Oliver:https://brokenwharfe.com/product/history-of-the-english-calvinistic-baptists/Spurgeon’s Pastoral Wisdom, edited by Geoffrey Chang:https://brokenwharfe.com/product/spurgeons-pastoral-wisdom-articles-on-the-church-and-the-ministry-from-the-sword-and-the-trowel/Browse Broken Wharfe:https://brokenwharfe.com/CHAPTERS00:00 – The Duty to Repent00:53 – Welcome to Episode 5001:19 – The Reformed Baptist Study Centre03:26 – Study Without Dry Orthodoxy06:04 – Andrew Fuller and Serious Learning07:15 – Who Was Andrew Fuller?09:47 – The Gospel Worthy of All Acceptation12:43 – Moral and Physical Inability16:07 – Fuller, Missions and the Free Offer17:54 – Preaching as God’s Appointed Means23:42 – Seven Lessons for Gospel Preaching27:30 – Trust Christ, Not Merely Truths29:40 – Pleading, Not Merely Explaining32:13 – Duty, Delight and the Sin of Unbelief35:32 – The Call to Immediate Repentance40:10 – Robert’s Article and Listener DiscountSend us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

In this episode, John-Mark is joined by Dr. Robert Strivens to discuss "The 1689 Handbook", a chapter-by-chapter introduction to the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith with a foreword by Michael Haykin. Strivens outlines his pastoral background in Bradford-on-Avon, his years at London Seminary, and his earlier career as a solicitor, then explains how he moved from suspicion of confessions to valuing them, especially the 1689 as reflecting Scripture. He describes the book’s origin in Reformation Today articles and its aim to provide a concise, non-polemical entry point alongside larger commentaries.The conversation highlights how confessions and church history help believers see beyond modern cultural assumptions, clarify doctrine on God and human freedom, connect to earlier councils and Reformation confessions, encourage careful understanding of language, and show that theology should serve piety and pastoral Christian living.Available Here: The 1689 HandbookSend us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

John-Mark welcomes Dr J. Ryan Davidson, pastor of Grace Baptist Chapel in Hampton, Virginia and dean of students at the International Reformed Baptist Seminary, to discuss his new Broken Wharfe booklet "Thinking Through Addiction". Drawing on Proverbs 23:29–35, Davidson presents addiction as the repeated, sinful misuse of created things to the detriment of soul, mind, and body, closely tied to idolatry and often marked by habitual return despite consequences. They contrast biblical categories with modern claims that addiction is only a disease, affirming possible physiological components while maintaining moral responsibility, self-control, and mortification of sin. The conversation stresses compassion, the necessity of the gospel and the local church’s means of grace, and appropriate partnership with medical or clinical help in severe cases. Davidson concludes with hope in justification and sanctification through union with Christ.Read the Booklet: Thinking Through AddictionRead the Ebook: Thinking Through Addiction Ebook00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro01:59 Booklet Origins and Purpose04:01 Proverbs 23 and Addiction06:52 Defining Addiction Biblically09:28 Scripture vs Modern Models15:05 Idolatry and Habitual Sin20:00 Why Consequences Dont Stop It25:47 Gospel Freedom and Church Help29:43 Church or Clinical Treatment34:47 Gospel Hope to the End39:35 Wrap Up and Booklet DetailsSend us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

John-Mark and Oliver welcome Joey Tomlinson, pastor of Deer Park Fellowship in Newport News, Virginia, to discuss his children’s board book Why We Gather and its connection to the resource Gathered for Glory.Tomlinson argues that Christians must prioritize gathered worship because Christ is worthy, God commands it, and it is spiritually good for believers, warning against replacing corporate worship with individualized “worship in all of life.” He outlines a biblical-theological case for the Lord’s Day as the Christian Sabbath rooted in creation, Christ’s resurrection and Pentecost, and the New Testament’s corporate assumptions (including preaching, church oversight, baptism, and the Lord’s Supper).The conversation emphasizes teaching children that Sunday worship is the “best day,” cultivating anticipation through weekly rhythms, practicing hospitable, and services of worship where children learn and are confronted by the means of grace.You can get "Why We Worship" by Joey Tomlinson on discount at brokenwharfe.com alongside our newly published resource "Gathered For Glory" by Oliver Allmand-Smith.Send us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

In this episode, we're joined by Stephane Simonnin and Oliver Allmand-Smith to explore the extraordinary story of William Tyndale and his groundbreaking English translation of the New Testament. Published in 1526, Tyndale's work defied the religious authorities of his day and forever changed the course of the English language, the Christian faith, and Western civilization.Topics covered:Who was William Tyndale and what drove him?Learning Greek and Hebrew in 16th-century EnglandFleeing to Germany to translate and print the New TestamentThe role of English merchants in smuggling BiblesWhy the Church feared the Bible in EnglishTyndale's translation choices: "congregation" vs. "church"The lasting legacy of 1526 for Protestantism and Bible translationTimestamps:0:00 - Introduction & Welcome1:00 - Meet Stephane Simonnin4:12 - Tyndale's Life & Biographical Background8:29 - What Prepared Tyndale for His Great Work?13:00 - The Impact of Tyndale's English New Testament14:26 - Why Translating the Bible into English Was So Dangerous18:22 - Why Were Authorities So Opposed to the Bible in English?19:58 - What People Discovered (and Didn't Find) in the New Testament20:49 - Parallels Between Tyndale's Era and Christ's Ministry22:11 - Reformation, Not Revolution: Going Back to the Bible26:00 - Was Tyndale a Separatist? His Translation Choices28:30 - The Tension Between Personal Bible Reading & Preaching32:32 - The Logistics: Merchants, Printers & Smuggling Bibles36:47 - Tyndale's Romantic Zeal & the Plowboy Quote40:52 - Tyndale's Legacy 500 Years On41:08 - The 1689 Confession on Scripture in the Vulgar Tongue44:14 - A Catholic Cardinal's View of the Reformation45:49 - Closing Thoughts & Farewell🔔 Follow us for more content💬 Share your thoughts in the comments🌐 Visit brokenwharfe.comSend us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

In this episode, Jerry Slate joins the podcast to discuss his new book "Reforming World Missions: Recovering a Biblical and Confessional Missiology".In the work of world missions, those who send missionaries are just as essential as those who are sent. William Carey famously described missionaries as those who descend into an unexplored pit, while those who support them “hold the ropes.” But if we are to hold the ropes well, we must also know the ropes. Sending churches and cross-cultural church planters alike must be grounded in a missiology that is biblically sound and confessionally robust.Jerry's book was written to equip churches and missionaries with exactly that kind of theological clarity. Our conversation explores:• Why confessional theology matters for missions• The responsibility of sending churches• The relationship between church planting and the Great Commission• The free offer of the gospel to all nations• What faithful missionary preparation should look like todayAs the Canons of Dort remind us:“Moreover, it is the promise of the gospel that whoever believes in Christ crucified shall not perish but have eternal life. This promise, together with the command to repent and believe, ought to be announced and declared without differentiation or discrimination to all nations and people, to whom God in his good pleasure sends the gospel.” (Canons of Dort, Second Head of Doctrine, Article 5)May God be pleased to raise up many biblically qualified missionaries who are sent well, until the earth is filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.If you found this helpful, subscribe for more conversations on theology, church history, and the life of the local church.Get "Reforming World Missions" at Broken Wharfe [brokenwharfe.com] or visit this link - [https://brokenwharfe.com/product/reforming-world-missions-recovering-a-biblical-and-confessional-missiology/]To learn more about Jerry Slate, Berean Baptist Church, or the Southeastern Association:www.berean1689church.orgsermonaudio.com/broadcasters/berean1689church/https://sacbaptists.org/For inquiries on how to receive the Harvest Field Prayer Guide, send an email to:[email protected] Send us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

EP44 Why We Worship: Reclaiming the Glory of Gathered Worship - Ft. Oliver Allmand SmithIn this episode of the Broken Wharfe Podcast, John Mark is joined by Oliver Allmand Smith to discuss his new book, Gathered for Glory: Why We Worship. The conversation delves into the importance of understanding the 'why' behind worship and its theological basis from a pastoral Reformed perspective. They explore key themes such as the purpose, necessity, and essence of worship, emphasizing its Trinitarian nature. The discussion also touches on practical aspects of gathered worship, its significance for believers and their children, and the dangers of undermining worship in contemporary evangelical churches. The episode aims to offer insightful reflections for Reformed and confessional churches to deepen their understanding and practice of worship.Gathered for Glory: Why We Worship is available at [brokenwharfe.com].Send us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

In this episode of the Broken Wharfe Podcast, John-Mark sits down with Dr. James Renihan to explore the Old and New Testament foundations of baptism. Drawing from his teaching series, IRBS On The Road, Dr. Renihan explains how ritual washings in the Old Covenant point forward to believer’s baptism, why circumcision is fulfilled in regeneration—not baptism—and how baptism serves as a pastoral help to Christians.Whether you’re Baptist, paedobaptist, or simply wrestling with the theology of baptism, this conversation provides clarity, encouragement, and a strong biblical framework.📖 What You’ll LearnOld Testament roots of baptism in ritual washingsWhy circumcision points to regeneration, not baptismThe relationship between baptism and confession of faithHow baptism connects with church membership and prudenceBaptism’s pastoral role in assurance and sanctification⏱️ Chapters0:00 – Introduction1:00 – Welcome Dr. James Renihan & IRBS On The Road2:50 – Goals of the baptism seminar9:00 – Baptism in the Old Testament: washings & priestly consecration13:00 – Why New Covenant baptism is one washing19:00 – Circumcision and regeneration in the New Testament21:00 – Timothy’s baptism and confession of faith25:00 – Credobaptism vs. “adult baptism”27:00 – Baptism, church membership, and prudence with children34:00 – Baptism as pastoral encouragement for believers37:00 – IRBS On The Road 2025–26: Sola Scriptura & the Trinity🔗 Resources & LinksVisit: [brokenwharfe.com] for historical reprints, covenant theology resources, and more.Book highlight: Nehemiah Coxe on Covenant Theology with John Owen on Hebrews 8, newly available - Covenant Theology: From Adam to Christ [brokenwharfe.com/bookshop]Invite Dr. Renihan or Dr. Scheiderer to your church through IRBS On The Road: [irbs.org] Send us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!

In this second part of our series on C. H. Spurgeon, host John Mark is joined again by Dr. Brandon Rhea to explore the major controversies, trials, and enduring legacy of the “Prince of Preachers.” Building on the previous discussion of Spurgeon’s life and theology of the Sabbath, Dr. Rhea surveys the defining battles Spurgeon faced—hypercalvinism, slavery, baptismal regeneration, sabbatarianism, and the infamous Downgrade Controversy.Dr. Rhea explains how Spurgeon’s unwavering convictions about the authority of Scripture, the exclusivity of Christ, and the necessity of doctrinal integrity often came at great personal cost—fractured friendships, public censure, physical illness, and emotional strain. Yet, through suffering, Spurgeon held fast to the truth, refusing to compromise for the sake of pragmatism or popularity. The conversation draws out enduring lessons for today’s church on the need for confessional clarity, the costliness of faithfulness, the centrality of sound doctrine in interchurch fellowship, and the hope believers have in Christ amid trials.Brandon Rhea is author of Spurgeon’s Forgotten Sabbatarianism: The Fourth Commandment in the Life and Theology of the Prince of Preachers—available at [brokenwharfe.com/bookshop].00:00 Welcome & Introduction 00:52 Recap of Part One & Episode Overview 02:00 Spurgeon’s Major Controversies 07:59 Slavery & Public Backlash 10:08 Baptismal Regeneration Dispute 12:25 Sabbath Controversies in Scotland 15:20 The Downgrade Controversy 20:45 Doctrinal Clarity in Church Partnerships 27:01 The Cost of Standing for Truth 32:55 Spurgeon’s Theology of Suffering 37:53 Susannah Spurgeon’s Suffering & Support 40:38 Lessons for the Church TodaySend us Fan MailContact Broken WharfeTweet us @BrokenwharfeFind us on Facebook at BrokenWharfeFollow us on Instagram at BrokenWharfeEmail us at [email protected] for listening!