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An Upcoming Interview Series
- 09/10/06
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You may recall that last year I did several interviews and posted them to this site. I interviewed, among others, Sam Waldron, Wayne Grudem and Derek Webb. I would like to put together another series of interviews to be posted sometime this fall and winter. I am thinking of turning them into podcasts, posting audio of the interviews this year rather than transcribing them as I have done in the past. I’ll decide that later. In the meantime, I am interested in gathering suggestions for people I may like to interview. I am not likely to have access to many of the top-tier Christian personalities (this blog may be reasonably popular but it is still, after all, only a blog) but am certainly not afraid to seek out interviews with anyone. The worst they can say, after all, is “No!” I suppose they could laugh at me too, and that would hurt my feelings. But either way, I’m not afraid to do the legwork and to request interviews.
I do not think I’ll have a topical focus this year from interview to interview. Rather, I’ll approach each differently based on the person I am interviewing. I would prefer to interview people with interesting stories than people who are simply the most popular. So feel free to send along your suggestions, either in the comments or by email. They can be Calvinist or Arminian, Christian or non, male or female, theologians or musicians…
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Comments (91)
Mark Dever. I love that guy.
Tim,It would be great for you to interview John Piper and CJ Mahaney.
Jars of Clay guys. That would rock.David Powlison.J.I. Packer.Ted Tripp.Me. (Just kidding. That would be pretty boring.)
:^D
How about:Ray ComfortMark CahillJerry BridgesCarolyn McCulley
Piper’s a great suggestion, as is Packer.
How about John Stott?Chuck Colson? (Probably too inaccessible, but you never know…)Jim Cymbala (pastor of Brooklyn Tabernacle)? I’d be interested to hear his take on phenomena such as Rick-Warrenism and the “emergent church”
…look forward to seeing the interviews!
Interviews with people like Don Carson or Gordon Fee would be interesting… Marcus Honeysett… James Sire… Craig Blomberg…
I’ll toss another female in the hat…Beth Moore. You can see if her eyes are really as big in person as they look on t.v.
Greg Koukl (STR), esp. about his “adoption” story.Ray ComfortJohn Hendryx (monergism.com guy)
How about McLaren? That would be interesting…Michael Horton.Peter Kreeft.
Musicians: Nickel Creek (particularly Chris Thile), Jars of Clay, maybe some of the leadership at Red Mountain Church (they do some great new arrangements of old hymns), Sandra McCracken (you interviewed her husband last year, she should be this year…)
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
“Mahmoud Ahmadinejad”
LOL. I’ll get right on that one.
Bin Laden would be pretty good…Think you would have any luck?
If not him then Phil Johnson or Justin Taylor could be pretty interesting.
ME! :)
Ok Ok, that was a joke. Seariously, it was.
Joni Erickson Tada
Howard Synder: The Church & the Kingdom of God
Hugh Ross: Genesis 1-11; The Bible and Science
Clinton Arnold: Spiritual Warfare and Paul’s Letters
a few suggestions …
Paul Washerhttp://www.heartcrymissionary.com
James White
Billy Graham’s son
Hi Tim,
How about:
Alister McGrathDave SwavelyJohn Frame
Don MillerWilliam Branch, aka “The Ambassador” of the Cross MovementFrederick K Price (Crenshaw Christian Center)Nicole NordemanJaci VelasquezRebecca St. JamesAnthony Bradley (professor, blogger)Mark DriscollBryan Lorritts (pastor)Bono
I’d second J.I. Packer and John Frame and add R.C. Sproul Sr., John MacArthur and David Wells. I myself wouldn’t mind an audio podcast but either way works.
If you did interview Hugh Ross I’d also like to see Ken Ham or Jonathan Safarti for some balance between old eart/new earth.
Sinclair FergusonJ Ligon Duncan&Most of the suggestions above
howdy ya’ll,I got an idea. Why don’t we ask CNN’s Larry King to interview Tim Challies? Wouldn’t that be pretty cool?!!
Timothy J McNeely said: Bin Laden would be pretty good…Think you would have any luck?
What’s that?
I’ve seen Mark Driscoll pop up a couple times.
I’m in agreement with that one. I think there could be some interesting questions and answers that come out of that interview.
I’d love to hear from Paul Washer, Thabiti Anyabwile, Tim Keller, and/or Sam Storms. I’ve heard from most of the “big name” guys above. These listed are not so well known (Keller is a little more well-known), but have really impacted me in the past year(s).
Proposed topics:
Washer on Preaching Biblical Truth in this AgeAnyabwile on His Conversion, Witness to MuslimsKeller on being the churchStorms on being Reformed and Charismatic
My nominees…Ray ComfortThabiti AnyabwileFranklin GrahamDave HuntJoni Erickson TadaNan :)Frank Martens :)(without the BRs (blog responders), where would this blog be??? or any blog??thanks,moosiecat
While big-name availability might be tricky (I’m not sure of Bono’s desire to be interviewed for a blog), it would be interesting to try and interview those in a more pastoral/academic role; I’m thinking specifically of:
Bryan Chapell (Covenant Seminary)Duane Litfin (Wheaton)Philip Ryken (Tenth Pres)Clyde Cook (Biola—before he retires)and yes, MacArthur and Sproul would be really cool!
Would it be possible to interview someone on the mission field? (This would probably mean they are not exactly name-brand names for believers) Still, it might awaken US/Canadian people to the realities of working, ministering and doing theology in restricted access countries like China, India or any of the Moslem affinity states. I don’t have names, but I’m know John Piper’s church supports some godly, effective ministers-of-the-gospel in the heart of the world’s darkness.
Mark Driscol Phil JohnsonPiper Mark DeverJosh HarrisMarc HeinrichMcArthur
Paul Washer - He has been mentioned now several times. Also, TJ Smith asked about a missionary. Paul might very well fit this suggestion as well. he runs a missions organization that is quite unique, supporting indigenous missionaries around the world. I really recommend this one.
An interview with Gordon Fee, who has also been mentioned could be profitable.
Jerry Bridges, if you could just let him set the agenda for the interview.
Peter LeithartDoug WilsonJohn PiperJoshua HarrisDon WhitneyJerry BridgesAl Mohler
I would second the Ken Ham/Jonathan Sarfati interview. I stand with them in the Genesis debate, but I have always wondered what they think about things like Calvinism and eschatology.
Another great preacher/pastor who always has something timely and biblical to say but never seems to get any press is Alistair Begg. Plus the Scottish accent will make for a good podcast.
NT theologians1. Don Carson2. Doug Moo3. Peter O’Brien4. Craig Blomberg
Tim,
I would reccomend Thomas Cottar, IV. He is the former Youth Ministry Consultant with the Southern Baptist of Texas Convention. He is a great thinker and a pretty decent musician as well.
CJ MahaneyJohn PiperCarolyn McCulley
You might try:
Chuck Swindoll or Charles Stanley
and ask them what happens when you’re no longer a “Top-tier” or “Big Name” personality.
Ever notice how no one ever refers to Dr. D. James Kennedy?
Tim:
IMHO, don’t interview any “names” in evangelicalism. They all have a book to sell; an agenda to hype; their own platform to expand; and stock answers to share again and again and again. If we’ve heard one, we’ve heard them all. Very boring.
BUT, why not go after the interview that is more of a rarity and that is seldom done? I.e. - Eric Alexander (the “finest expositor in the world today” - a MacArthur quote - and the last of the ‘old guard’ still living today). Or say a Christian writer in mainstream culture like Steve Turner; who is one of the most lucid thinkers on the post-modern, moral pluralistic state of society today and a former writer for Rolling Stone Magazine… He is brilliant. Or possibly a political figure that has had “ties” to Christianity, but has blurred the lines with their heterodox views and life-style: Bill Clinton is the quintessential example of this.
Most of the names mentioned on this thread you ‘could’ interview, but they will only be interesting if you challenge them on their status quo opinions: Falwell’s anti-Reformed Theology; McLaren’s apostasy from biblical Christianity; any CCM artist who charges tickets for their concerts and is signed to a label owned by a large multi-national conglomerate, who likes to sing “God is my girlfriend songs” or who has made praise and worship music a form of entertainment; etc. Or, if you interviewed a pop icon like Bono, you would have to challenge his liberal, bankrupt social gospel mixed with political underpinning and an anti-biblical prrof-texting (save the planet, eradicate the poor, global warming, etc.)
Or, you could interview several evangelical leaders that have their own study bibles and ask them how they can justify putting their names on God’s Word and personally profiting financially from the sale of holy writ. Now that would be an interesting podcast… :-).
Just my opinion, I could be wrong…Steve
And you see, this is what I love about Steve Camp. We’re never left guessing what he thinks! :)
Why don’t you see if you can interview Steve Camp and Amy Grant together? I think that would be pretty interesting.
“an anti-biblical prrof-texting (save the planet, eradicate the poor, global warming, etc.)”
Whoa! Bono wants do to that?! All this time I thought he wanted to eriadicate poverty — but he really just wants to kill all the poor people? Just when you think you know a guy…
Maybe Derek Webb… or how about R.C. Sproul, Jr.? Or Michael Spencer? Or perhaps V. Gene Robinson?
It looks like Steve Camp wants you to interview him, but he’s too shy to ask. ;)
I’m in agreement with Piper for his theology and joy.I’m also in agreement with Driscoll for his theology and contextualization.
One I haven’t see that I would like to is David Crowder on worship and thoughts about the Emergent Movement.
God Speed!
Tim,
How about Bob Kauflin, Mark Driscoll, and Don Kistler (not about the recent controversy, but about the Puritans).
The “big names” listed above are great, but I think we already see, hear, and read much from and about them. I agree with the suggestions of interviewing Missionaries and others like Steve Camp’s suggestion of Steve Turner. I would like to hear from people whose faith is challenged on a daily basis because of their intimate interaction with our fallen world rather than from those who speak from academic settings. If you are interested in some missionaries, I can connect you with several who work in and with the Muslim population both here and abroad. Contact me offline.
Peace,Jamie
David Powlison - he is one of the best thinkers/writers/teachers on how our therapeutic, psychologized culture has so infiltrated the evangelical church that the sheep no longer recognize the wolf for what he really is but cooperate with his agenda.
I suggest some of the guys from the early “Jesus Music” movement. It would be interesting to hear their comparisons to that movement and the Emergent church (if there are any comparisons).i.e. Larry NormanRandy StonehillBob Hartman (Petra)Kerry Livgren (Kansas, AD)Matthew WardTerry Scott Taylor (Daniel Amos)
maybe people want Tim to interview the “big names” in Evangelicalism, since they are big names due to the fact they do big things and start big movements and have lots of influence. I don’t see anything wrong with wanting to better understand these big name Christians and why they believe as they do. I would love to hear Challies interview Bishop T.D. Jakes
How about Rick Warren? That would be interesting….
Nancy PearceyAl Mohler, Mark Dever, CJ Mahaney (together, of course)Bob KauflinJosh HarrisJP Moreland
SBC Pastors I would like to hear a good interview from:Johnny HuntSteve GainesMac BrunsonJack Graham
I listened to a sermon last week by T.D. Jakes. It was the most moving, inspirational, motivational, exceptional sermon I’ve heard in a long time. It was just a potatoe chip sermon. That is, it satisfied a hunger pain but there wasn’t much substance to it. But, sometimes potatoe chips hit the spot!
I second the motion… interview T.D. Jakes.
For your Canadiana audience, what about:
Brian Stiller (Tyndale University College)John Stackhouse (Regent College)Bruce Clemengher (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada)
Bringing some of the Canadian Evangelical issues up to the front might be a good eye-opener for your broader audience.
I actually would love to hear an interview with Dr. D. James Kennedy. Mark Driscoll is another good one. I think spotlighting missionaries would be great. But one I would be extremely interested in hearing is Dr. Bernard Nathanson, the former abortion doctor turned pro-life activist.
I have to agree with Mr. Camp on this one. I think he has a very valid and great point.
“any CCM artist who charges tickets for their concerts”
Speaking of CCM artists and charging for tickets & cd’s and what not. I did notice that Derek Webbs latest one was free. Which was cool, because I think that falls right in like with Derek’s character. From what little I’ve read about the guy, he doesn’t seem to fall into a category of most artists.