Cross Podcast

Tilly Dillehay and Jeremy Pierre engage in conversation about self-control and modern struggles with discipline. Survey data reveals alarming statistics: 83% of students struggle with self-discipline, 50% of males struggle with pornography, 55% of females struggle with body image issues, and the vast majority cite social media as a constant hindrance. Self-control is not about deprivation but about refusing lesser pleasures to experience immeasurable eternal joy in God; it's a pathway to greater freedom and deeper satisfaction. The culture's inversion of this truth is one of Satan's most effective deceptions. Say no to lesser digital and bodily pleasures so you can say yes to the incomparable joy of knowing God and living for His purposes. Topics: Self-control, Discipline, Temptation, Social media, Sexual purity

David Platt illustrates God's global purpose through a story of a couple who met at CrossCon two years prior, married within a year, and returned with their newborn to seek God's direction for their lives. He establishes that each person is created by God to enjoy intimate relationship with Him while spreading His glory among all peoples. Every believer is created for dual purposes—intimate knowledge of God and participation in spreading His glory globally. Understanding the world's spiritual landscape through categories of gospel accessibility reveals the scope of God's redemptive plan. Consider how God might use your life to spread His glory among unreached peoples and communities around the world. Topics: Global missions, God's glory, Gospel spread, Unreached peoples, Worship

Trip Lee anchors biblical prayer in the finished work of Christ, emphasizing that access to God comes through Jesus' name alone. He introduces the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) as the most famous sermon in history that inverts worldly values and reveals kingdom citizenship. The Sermon on the Mount fundamentally reorients believers' understanding of what kingdom living looks like, and Matthew 7:7 promises that God's generous response to prayer is available to all who approach Him through Christ. Kingdom citizens live by upside-down values where asking boldly receives answers. Embrace the inverted values of Christ's kingdom and ask God boldly for what you need, knowing He generously responds to those who seek Him. Scripture: Matthew 7:7 Topics: Prayer, Kingdom of God, Christ's sufficiency, Generosity, Sermon on the Mount

Alistair Begg explores God's willingness to answer prayer and provide abundantly through Matthew 7:7-11 and Ephesians 3:14-21. Drawing from the promise that asking yields giving and seeking yields finding, Begg emphasizes that God's generosity far exceeds even good earthly parents' gifts to their children. God's extravagant generosity flows from His nature as a perfect Father who delights to give to His children far beyond their requests or expectations. The invitation to ask, seek, and knock is not a suggestion but an encouragement rooted in God's character and abundance. Approach God confidently in prayer, asking boldly for His provision and presence, trusting His generosity exceeds your greatest hopes. Scripture: Matthew 7:7-11; Ephesians 3:14-21 Topics: Prayer, God's generosity, Faith, Provision, God's abundance

Carl Trueman lectures on the church's role in addressing contemporary identity confusion. The church provides biblical identity rooted in God's truth as an antidote to the cultural chaos surrounding personal identity in modern society. Ground your identity in the church's historic, biblical understanding of personhood rather than cultural narratives. Topics: Church, Identity, Culture, Truth, Community

Shai Linne celebrates the union and joy found in the Trinity and the believer's participation in it. Drawing from Jesus' prayer in John 17:20-26, Linne explores Christ's desire that believers experience the same oneness with God and one another that exists within the Godhead, and that they behold His glory and experience the Father's eternal love for the Son.  Jesus prays that believers may see His glory and experience the Father's love that has existed since before the foundation of the world, creating the possibility of participating in the eternal joy of the Trinity itself. The love, unity, and delight of the Godhead becomes the model and promise for all believers. Cultivate your awareness of the eternal joy and love within the Trinity that you are invited to share and delight in. Scripture: John 17:20-26 Topics: Trinity, Unity, God's glory, Eternal love, Joy in God

John Piper examines God's sovereignty in tragedy through the lens of a 2001 incident where a Peruvian Air Force plane shot down a missionary aircraft, killing Veronica Bowers and her 7-month-old daughter Charity. Piper confronts the difficult theological question of how to affirm God's meticulous providence when innocent lives are lost in service to Christ. True hope in God's providence means trusting His sovereignty even when we cannot explain why He permits tragedy, and recognizing that many who follow Christ internationally will face suffering. The call of missions is beautiful but comes with a real and sometimes devastating cost. Examine your theology of God's providence—can you trust Him when His plan permits loss and suffering? Topics: God's providence, Suffering, Missions, Tragedy, Faith in hardship Scripture: James 4; Ephesians 1:11

Ajay Thomas preaches on the power of the gospel moving from head to heart. Through Ephesians 2:1-10, he shows how believers can move from knowing about salvation to truly feeling its transformative power. The gospel's victory is not just a mental assertion but a heart transformation that occurs when God's grace becomes personally real to us. Believers should examine whether they have truly allowed the gospel's victory to penetrate their hearts, not just their minds. Scripture: Ephesians 2:1-10 Topics: Gospel, Heart transformation, Grace, Salvation, Faith

Afshin Ziafat opens CROSS CON26 by pressing the gospel into the center—its news so precious that Jesus says it is worth losing your life for, and so powerful that Satan works tirelessly to keep us blind to it. From 1 Thessalonians 1, Ephesians 2, and Romans 3, Afshin shows that we are dead and destined for wrath apart from Christ—but that "But God," in mercy, made a way for God to be just and the justifier through Jesus' finished work. The call is simple and weighty: repent, believe, and turn from idols to serve the living God—no matter the cost. Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 1; Ephesians 2; Romans 3 Topics: Gospel, justification, repentance, assurance, Christian joy

Matt Bennett offers practical advice for those aspiring to serve in missions. He emphasizes the need for humility by submitting your aspirations to church elders, seeking mentorship, and serving locally. Rather than rushing into the field unprepared, he encourages aspiring missionaries to pursue discernment through the local church, develop a strong theological foundation, and gain strategic ministry experience.

The Nicene Creed, formulated at the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, is a foundational statement of Christian faith, affirming the Trinity and the full divinity of Christ. It was written to refute the Arian heresy, declaring that the Son is "of the same substance" as the Father. For over 1,700 years, it has united believers across traditions, safeguarded orthodox theology, and provided a clear confession of faith. Today, the creed remains essential for defending biblical doctrine, fostering church unity, and grounding Christians in the unchanging truth of the gospel.

The panelists share how their church, Immanuel Baptist, actively reaches out to refugees and immigrants in their community, driven by a heart for the Great Commission. They describe the challenges of this ministry, such as cultural differences, lack of responsiveness to the gospel, and balancing family life. However, they also share encouraging stories of refugees coming to faith, church members stepping up to serve, and the joy of seeing God work. The panelists advise the audience to find their unique gifts and callings, build relationships, and persevere even when the work is difficult, remembering that the ultimate goal is to see people come to know Christ.

Ayman Ibrahim, born and raised in Egypt, shares his experiences of witnessing Muslims coming to Christ in Egypt, Dubai, and Lebanon. He emphasizes that the time is ripe for Muslim evangelism, as Muslims are questioning their faith more than ever before. He provides practical tips for engaging with Muslims, such as praying for them, being prepared to answer their questions, and building relationships with them. Ibrahim encourages the audience to seize this opportunity and be ambassadors of Christ to the Muslim community.

Horizons International is dedicated to reaching international students and refugees in the U.S., engaging Muslims worldwide, and equipping churches and student groups for ministry among these communities. Jim Rairick urges the audience to take action—get involved, connect with Horizons, and share the gospel with the 830,000 international students from the 10/40 window currently studying in the U.S. He highlights the need to cultivate a culture of evangelism in churches, break down racial and ethnic barriers, and develop sustainable support for international student ministry.

David Platt emphasizes the importance of God's Word over physical needs like oxygen, and encourages the audience to reorient their lives around receiving, remembering, and obeying the Word. He highlights the dangers of the "information age" and how easily we can become distracted by worldly information instead of immersing ourselves in Scripture. Platt provides three practical steps: receiving God's Word humbly and wholeheartedly, remembering it intentionally and continually (through meditation, memorization, and sharing), and obeying it immediately and gladly, as this leads to true blessing and life.

Keri Folmar addresses the issue of anxiety, particularly among college students. She shares practical tips to fight anxiety: 1) Know your God by spending time in His Word; 2) Take your troubles to the Lord in prayer; 3) Give thanks, even in the midst of difficulties; and 4) Surround yourself with people who can remind you to trust God. She emphasizes the importance of rooting oneself in God's sovereignty, love, and the truth of Scripture to overcome anxious thoughts.

Ryan Fullerton encourages the audience to cultivate a consistent prayer life by seeking a quiet, private space, shutting out distractions, and following the Lord’s Prayer as a model. He stresses that the goal is not to empty the mind, but to focus on meditating on God's Word, while recognizing that God delights in our imperfect efforts. Fullerton also emphasizes the value of spontaneous prayer throughout the day and encourages using resources like Paul’s prayers to be discipled in praying according to God's will.

Marshall Segal addresses four common lies that can hinder Bible reading: that the Bible is irrelevant, hard to understand, unhelpful in times of pain, or won't bring happiness. He refutes these misconceptions by emphasizing the Bible's power to provide wisdom, comfort, understanding, and joy. Segal encourages reading Scripture in community, persevering through tough passages, and engaging with the Word prayerfully, recognizing the spiritual battle against distractions and discouragement.

Ryan Fullerton emphasizes the importance of embracing silence and solitude in a world filled with noise and distraction. He discusses how the modern tendency to avoid silence stems from our inability to confront our guilty consciences, which the world tries to distract us from. Fullerton encourages the audience to listen to their consciences, which can lead them to the gospel and the righteousness of Christ. He also suggests that spending time alone with God, without external stimuli, can strengthen one's faith and provide refuge from the difficulties of the world.

Nina Buser shares her journey as a woman in missions, emphasizing the critical roles women play in reaching unreached people groups. Through her story of serving among tribes in Papua New Guinea, she highlights the necessity of women learning language and culture to disciple and teach other women, who men often cannot access due to cultural barriers. Ultimately, she encourages women to embrace the challenges of missions as a “chance to die” to self and gain eternal treasures in serving Christ.