During his three years in Ephesus, the apostle Paul invested deeply in people’s lives. He taught them God’s Word, trained leaders, and modeled faithful obedience. He wept with them, prayed with them, and warned them about false teachers who would distort the truth. His goal wasn’t entertainment but transformation—bringing men and women to repentance and faith in Christ. Without intentional discipleship, Paul knew the church would drift. He warned that “fierce wolves” would come, even from among their own number, to draw people away (Acts 20:29–30). The same danger exists today. Churches that replace biblical discipleship with motivational speeches, entertainment, or cultural trends may still draw a crowd—but they lose their spiritual engine. The result is eventual decline, maybe not in numbers but in true spiritual transformation by the gospel’s power. Without biblical teaching and guidance, believers become vulnerable to false doctrine, shallow faith, and moral compromise. So what does biblical discipleship look like in practice? In Acts 20, Paul’s words and actions highlight six essential qualities every church must practice if we’re to remain faithful to Christ. 1. Discipleship requires presence. Paul reminds the elders, “You yourselves know how I lived among you the whole time” (v. 18). He wasn’t distant but present, living among them, teaching both publicly and from house to house (v. 20). Discipleship is more than sermons or lectures—it’s life shared. Just as God sent his Son to be present with us, so we must be present with one another. True discipleship happens when we enter into each other’s lives, walking together through joys and struggles. The problem with this approach today is that it takes too much of our time, isn’t “scalable,” and doesn’t grow our platform. It’s easier to record a video or stand onstage in front of thousands than to be a meaningful part of someone’s life. If you want to take part in biblical discipleship, you must limit yourself to discipling a few people. Jesus discipled 12 people, and I doubt any of us could do more than that at any given time. 2. Discipleship requires teaching. Paul didn’t hesitate to declare “the whole counsel of God” (v. 27). He preached repentance, faith in Christ, and the grace of God. Teaching was at the heart of his ministry. It’s great and necessary to “do life together,” but that on its own will never constitute true biblical discipleship. Discipleship requires consistent, clear teaching that shapes both belief and behavior. Every Christian needs to be both a learner and, in some capacity, a teacher of God’s Word. This means investing time into personal Bible study. It also means reading and studying God’s Word together. 3. Discipleship requires consistency. Paul spent three years teaching in Ephesus, and he “[didn’t] cease night or day to admonish every one with tears” (v. 31). His ministry was marked by perseverance. Discipleship isn’t a quick program or weekend seminar. It requires steady investment over time, like physical training does. Spiritual growth comes through repeated exposure to God’s Word and ongoing encouragement to obey it. At times, we’ll fail in our discipleship efforts, but we mustn’t give up. With regularity and consistency, we’ll see fruit over time. 4. Discipleship requires humility. Paul served “with all humility and with tears” (v. 19). Humility is the soil in which discipleship takes root. Without humility, we resist correction, ignore conviction, and attempt to point others to ourselves rather than to Christ. As a discipler, I must be quick to admit my mistakes, confess my sins when appropriate, and provide a humble example of a servant of Christ. This will ensure I’m not pointing people to myself but rather to my Savior. A proud teacher may impress people, but only a humble disciple-maker will truly lead others closer to Jesus. 5. Discipleship requires patience. Paul endured hardships, opposition, and tears as he ministered (v. 19, 31). Yet he didn’t give up. Discipleship is often slow and frustrating. People stumble, resist, and sometimes walk away. But our patience reflects trust in God’s power to save and transform. By persevering through difficulties, we display the same long-suffering love that Christ shows toward us. 6. Discipleship requires attentiveness. Paul urged the elders to “pay careful attention to [themselves] and to all the flock” (v. 28). He knew spiritual dangers were real. Wolves would come to deceive and destroy, and the only defense was vigilant shepherding. If you’re going to engage in discipleship, you can be sure that sooner or later, Satan will be looking for a way to discourage, distract, or tempt. Discipleship means being alert—not only to your own spiritual condition but also to the needs and vulnerabilities of those you’re discipling. Regular accountability, prayer, and fellowship help keep us awake to the Enemy’s schemes. Cost of Neglecting Discipleship Paul’s words in Acts 20 remind us that discipleship isn’t optional. It’s the very heartbeat of the church. When discipleship is neglected, the church inevitably drifts. Unfaithfulness in teaching leads to unfaithfulness in conduct, and sin is soon justified rather than confessed. This downward spiral doesn’t usually happen overnight. It begins with small compromises—replacing biblical preaching with entertainment, neglecting personal accountability, softening calls to repentance. Over time, truth is lost. Paul’s vision for discipleship requires presence, teaching, consistency, humility, patience, and vigilance. Yet when these qualities are embraced, the church remains faithful to its true mission—the gospel of Jesus Christ at work in transformed lives.

Whether we admit it or not, one of the central desires of every human heart is to come before God and be approved by him. That’s the root of the psalmist’s questions: “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (Ps. 24:3–4). It’s the same question David asks in Psalm 15: “Who shall dwell on your holy hill?” His answer is weighty: “He who walks blamelessly and does what is right and speaks truth in his heart” (vv. 1–2). We can’t simply prance into God’s presence. We have to be holy and righteous. That creates a real problem for every human, because none of us meets those conditions. We need some way to be atoned with God before we can meet him face to face. In Enacting Atonement: The Narrative Logic of Sacrifice and Sonship in Leviticus, Roy McDaniel—assistant pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama—shows how Leviticus depicts the process of being made right with God. McDaniel’s goal is to offer “a theological exegesis of Levitical sacrifice, specifically the burnt offering (as prescribed in Lev 1:1–9)” (xviii). He breaks down the features of this specific offering to analyze it exegetically in light of its context in Leviticus and theologically in light of its place in the whole of redemptive history. This book is a tour de force in theological exegesis. McDaniel never departs from close attention to the text and its contextual features. Nevertheless, he also has a strong grasp of typology. He recognizes the Old Testament as Christian Scripture. Accordingly, he sees Christ as the reason that God established the Levitical sacrificial system in the first place. It was always meant to lead us to Christ. Sacrifice in a Biblical Framework The burnt offering takes place within a narrative framework that points to Christ’s full incarnate ministry. This typological content includes penal substitutionary atonement. Yet it goes beyond substitution to include Christ’s obedience and even his ascension as a necessary part of full-fledged atonement. McDaniel focuses on a deep reading of Leviticus 1:1–2: “The LORD called Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, ‘Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When any one of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of livestock from the herd or from the flock.’” The burnt offering takes place within a narrative framework that points to the full incarnate ministry of Christ. The strength of McDaniel’s argument lies in his grasp of the broader biblical theology that shapes his understanding of the offerer in the burnt offering. He breaks down Leviticus’s teaching about the burnt offering into its smaller components. In this respect, McDaniel demonstrates exegetical savvy in situating small details of this text in a wider canonical framework. As he analyzes each aspect, he considers God’s address, the offerer’s identity, the kind of offering that must be brought, and the offering’s significance. These verses in Leviticus might seem to be passing details at the outset of a long biblical treatment of ceremonial law. McDaniel shows how, taken together in full biblical significance, they’re pointers to Christ’s person and work. Fuel for Doctrinal Development As a more specific part of his exploration of the Levitical burnt offering, McDaniel recognizes a creational and covenantal framework wherein a faithful and obedient son was always meant to bring a satisfying offering before God. As he argues, “The burnt offering preaches the good news of atonement through the entire sequence of events that constitute the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ” (183). These exegetical pieces provide material fit for reassembling into a fuller theological puzzle. McDaniel’s case that obedience was a key component of the burnt offering adds new exegetical support for the traditional Reformed distinction between Christ’s active and passive obedience. The creational and covenantal context for this Levitical offering shows how this sacrifice was about satisfying debts we owe to God from creation as well as on account of sin. The creational and covenantal context for this Levitical offering shows how this sacrifice was about satisfying debts we owe to God from creation as well as on account of sin. This view of atonement then provides fruitful new consideration for the Reformed doctrine of the covenant of works. This doctrine is about God covenanting with Adam to reward his perfect obedience with glorified life. McDaniel’s emphasis on the burnt offering as pointing to obedience as well as sacrificial death highlights the basic idea of the covenant of works with its terms of obedience as well as its consequence of death. Redemptive-Historical Question One area for potential confusion centers on how McDaniel relates the burnt offering to creational structures, specifically concerning its demand for death. I wonder if he has drawn the lines clearly enough regarding the redemptive-historical pattern of creation-fall-redemption. McDaniel affirms the standard reformational account of death as he articulates the significance of Christ’s death for our sin. However, there are a few points where the argument could have been clearer. In chapter 2, for example, McDaniel argues that the “plot” of the Levitical burnt offering is grounded in creational, covenantal structures of filial obedience. These structures were then part of God’s purpose to create us so we would return to him. Was death part of a creational demand for atonement? Traditional theology, especially of the Augustinian and wider Reformed varieties, has never accepted death as a natural part of the human experience. Adam and humanity owed God obedience simply by their nature. Death was an intrusion on account of sin. The potential confusion comes when McDaniel locates the necessity of death within this plot of creational, covenantal return to God. He gives the impression that the death involved in sacrifice is a necessary part of the story of the creature’s obedience. McDaniel could have strengthened this part of his argument by clarifying how death functions as a contingent requirement God places on sinners within the creational and covenantal structures for returning to him. This is a subtle but important point. Above all, McDaniel makes a powerful exegetical case for the nature of substitution involved in Leviticus’s burnt offerings. This book prompts readers to more thoughtful, rich, and deep readings of complicated but overlooked features of the sacrificial system. As questions about the nature of the atonement abound, Enacting Atonement will help pastors and scholars see Christ’s glory more fully and articulate it more clearly.

Read Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isa. 43:16–19) Reflect As the calendar nears December, we pull the lights out of the garage and the boxes of decorations from the attic. We set up the tree, hang the stockings, and start the annual Advent countdown. We bookmark the holiday playlist, finish (or begin!) the shopping, and mark down all the party dates. But in our Christmas busyness, do we see how God is at work in our daily lives? Do we remember how he has been at work over the past year? In our Christmas busyness, do we see how God is at work in our daily lives? Do we remember how he has been at work over the past year? We can see God working in the past and present, but the prophet Isaiah also saw God at work in the future. He called his firstborn son Shear-jashub (Isa. 7:3), a name that means “a remnant will return.” This name was a surprising choice. After all, when little Shear was born, God’s people still lived in the promised land. Isaiah named his children (and wrote his prophecies) well before Judah’s exile to Babylon. So, on the eighth day after Shear-jashub’s birth, when the boy’s name was announced at his dedication, Isaiah’s Jerusalem neighbors must’ve thought, Hmm. Return from where? The people couldn’t see what God was doing. They were blind to his future purposes (6:9–10). But God gave the prophet faith to see the certainty of the Lord’s plans. Isaiah knew that both exile and return loomed on the horizon. The nation’s neglect of God’s law, their busy self-reliance, and their trust in military pacts with foreign powers would end in judgment. To Babylonian exile they would go. But then again, just as certainly, the Redeemer would deliver his people (43:14–15). What would this future salvation be like? God’s redemptive pattern for Judah’s future had already been revealed in the past. When the Hebrew people suffered under Egyptian oppression, God made a way of escape through the sea (v. 16). Now, said Isaiah, God would build another highway in the wilderness (v. 19). At the exodus, the Lord snuffed out Pharaoh’s army with their chariots and horses (v. 17). Now, God would again do away with the people’s worldly securities so they’d put their trust in him alone. “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old,” said the Lord. “Behold, I am doing a new thing” (vv. 18–19). If only the people could perceive it, they’d see God at work bringing forth his life-giving water (vv. 19–20). Though God’s judgment still lay ahead, Isaiah also saw the day when sin would be atoned for and God’s perfected people would declare his praise (v. 21). In Christ, ‘the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.’ Do you see it? Just look back at what he’s already done. God is still at work bringing new life today. In Christ, “the old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Cor. 5:17). Do you see it? Just look back at what he’s already done. At the cross, our incarnate Lord took the fullness of God’s wrath for our rebellion and gave us his perfect record instead (Isa. 43:25). When we were dead in our transgressions, God made us alive by his Spirit (Eph. 2:1–10). Looking forward with faith, we await Christ’s second coming as the final exodus and the fulfillment of all God’s promises. We can trust God will work in the future just as he has in the past. He’s doing a new thing. May we have eyes to see it. Respond As you begin this new holiday season, set aside time to remember Christ’s work in your life. What has the Lord done for you this past year? Did he answer a prayer? Did he bring a friend or family member to faith? Give God praise for the ways you’ve seen him work, and pray with expectant hope for his continued work in the coming year.

For many, apologetics is associated with arguments over rational, philosophical proofs. It’s a matter of the head instead of the heart, a debate over facts instead of feelings. But no matter what kind of apologetics you practice, you’re arguing according to a certain set of rules, in a particular language, attuned to what you expect to resonate in your time and place. In other words, it’s always cultural, never purely timeless. And it’s never purely rational. We need to recover apologetics as a matter of the heart and hands as well as the head. We need to recover apologetics as a project for the whole church and not just for those who enjoy arguing. What we call cultural apologetics isn’t a new academic discipline. It’s a means to reconnect the church to the best biblical and historical resources for presenting and defending the faith “once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 1:3). That’s the vision behind a new book, The Gospel After Christendom: An Introduction to Cultural Apologetics, which I edited for Zondervan Reflective and The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. I was joined on Gospelbound by two of the contributors, both fellows for The Keller Center. Josh Chatraw is the Billy Graham chair for evangelism and cultural engagement at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. Christopher Watkin, associate professor of French and Francophone studies at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. Thank you to Beeson Divinity School for hosting and recording this podcast in front of a lively and engaged audience. In This Episode 02:00 – Cultural apologetics: head, heart, and hands 03:00 – Biblical models for cultural apologetics 05:10 – Retrieval: learning from church history 09:16 – Augustine, Rome, and Biblical Critical Theory 13:00 – Diagonal thinking, third-way debates, and politics 16:00 – Confrontational vs. winsome apologetics 20:00 – How Jesus engaged different people 26:00 – Apologetics for the whole church and for pastors 34:00 – Retrieval models: Pascal, Montaigne, and modern idols 41:00 – Audience Q&A: outnarrating, doubt, Catholicism, facts vs. heart issues 51:46 – Closing reflections Resources Mentioned The Gospel After Christendom edited by Collin Hansen, Ivan Mesa, and Skyler Flowers Telling a Better Story by Josh Chatraw Biblical Critical Theory by Christopher Watkin City of God by Augustine The Confronting Christianity Podcast with Rebecca McLaughlin The Speak Life Podcast with Glen Scrivener Truth Unites podcast with Gavin Ortlund SIGN UP for my newsletter, Unseen Things. Help The Gospel Coalition renew and unify the contemporary church in the ancient gospel: Donate today. Don’t miss an episode of Gospelbound with Collin Hansen: Apple Podcasts Spotify YouTube TGC Updates

As you navigate the ups and downs of life, fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of your faith, who endured the cross for the joy set before him.