“One of the things that’s been so great about J.T. and I crossing paths in ministry is that we have developed a true partnership that has that has been of help, not just in all female spaces for me, but also in the local church, of finding spaces where men and women are learning theology side by side in brother/sisterly cooperation.”
“Nothing has transformed, in my experience, people’s understanding of the significance of their relationship with God than having a fuller and deeper understanding of his transcendence.”
Key Quotes From J.T. English
“The lack of theology and the lack of deep discipleship in local churches is being replaced by…different ideologies, whether they be political or sociological. And every single pastor and every single church is facing this on some level.”
“I showed up for my first class at seminary and the professor helped me understand that it wasn’t just that he was a theologian, but that I was too. And he did it by basically defining the word.”
“We’re not just saying evangelicals should be better theologians or Christians should be better theologians. We’re saying that atheists are theologians because they have words about God…And so the question isn’t, are you a theologian? Because everybody has words about God. The question is, are you a good theologian?”
“We firmly believe that all theological discourse should happen in community. Specifically, we like to see it happen in the local church.”
“When you don’t see yourself as a theologian, that’s when you’re most susceptible to having a bad theology.”
“This isn’t just you end up getting something wrong on the theology test if you take it. It’s that you’re actually living your life improperly in accordance to God’s revelation and how he’s revealed himself.”
“One of the biggest challenges that people face is not just that they don’t think they’re theologians—it’s that they are terrified to be wrong.”
“Part of what pastors and leaders can do is create a culture of charity around theological dialogue…leaders of those environments are the ones who are responsible for creating a culture of charity.”
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“The number one piece of feedback that Jen and I get when we teach this stuff is: ‘I have been in church for 20 years and nobody has told me this.’”
“Jen and I wrote the book that we wish we would have had 20 years ago or 30 years ago. I became a Christian through Campus Crusade, and my first question was, ‘How do I grow? How do I learn my Bible?’”
“In these churches we do not have to create a demand. There is pent up demand that most often leaders are not recognizing.”
“This is an invitation to know and love…If your theology is leading you to boastfulness or pride, throw it away because it’s a bad theology.”
“Leaders and churches, if you’re seeing kind of a ‘theobro’ culture arise in your church, that’s not a good theology. You need to correct those brothers.”
“The doctrine of ecclesiology is foreign in some missiological environments…and so I’m really working hard to help the people in my context understand the basics of what it means to be a member of a local church.”
Mentioned in the Show
“You Are a Theologian: An Invitation to Know and Love God Well” by Jen Wilkin and Dr. J.T. English
Check out Jen’s website
Follow Jen on Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter
Storyline Fellowship Church
Follow J.T. on Instagram, X/Twitter, and YouTube
Dallas Willard
“Ed Stetzer, Christine Caine Help Lead the Way for Women Entering Ministry; Dozens Receive M.A. in Evangelism and Leadership From Wheaton” by Jessica Lea on ChurchLeaders
“Eric Geiger: What the ‘Alarming’ State of Theology Report Means for the Church” by Jessica Lea on ChurchLeaders
Howard Hendricks
John Calvin
Nick and Christine Caine
The State of Theology
St. Patrick’s Bad Analogies
“Louis Berkhof
“Wayne Grudem
