⏱️ Estimated Reading Time: 2 min read
On today’s Equipping You in Grace episode, Dave talks with James and Nathan about five biblical principles regarding a Christian’s response to and relation towards the government, the essential nature of the church, faithfulness to Christ, and their book, God vs. Government: Taking a Biblical Stand When Christ and Compliance Collide (Harvest House, 2022)
What you’ll hear in this episode
- The dangers of having a low view of the church.
- Five biblical principles of the Christian to respond and relate to the government.
- Why an attitude of respect and submission under the five biblical principles.
- Whether the government has the authority to prevent the Church from gathering.
- The deficiencies that have been exposed in the broader evangelical church during the last few years.
- How the Reformation helps Christians navigate today’s challenges.
- James’ advice to Canadian Christians and Nathan’s advice to American Christians.
About the Guest
Nathan Busenitz is the executive vice president and provost of The Master’s Seminary in Los Angeles. He also serves as part of the pastoral staff at Grace Community Church and has written or contributed to numerous books, including Right Thinking in a World Gone Wrong. He and his wife, Beth, have four children.
James Coates is the pastor-teacher of GraceLife Church of Edmonton, Canada. He graduated with MDiv and DMin degrees at The Master’s Seminary. He and his wife, Erin, have two sons.
Subscribing, sharing, and your feedback You can subscribe to Equipping You in Grace via iTunes, Google Play, or your favorite podcast catcher. If you like what you’ve heard, please consider leaving a rating and share it with your friends (it takes only takes a second and will go a long way to helping other people find the show). You can also connect with me on Twitter at @davejjenkins, on Facebook, or via email to share your feedback.
Thanks for listening to this episode of Equipping You in Grace!
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah, and lives in beautiful Southern Oregon. He is a writer, editor, and speaker who loves Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology.
Dave serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries and the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine. He is the Host and Producer of the Equipping You in Grace Podcast and a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word.
He is the author of The War of Worldviews: Truth, Lies, and the Battle for the Christian Mind (Theology for Life, 2026), Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021).
You can connect with Dave on Facebook, X (Twitter), Instagram, YouTube, or subscribe to his newsletter.
When he is not engaged in ministry work, Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, going to movies, sharing a meal at a favorite restaurant, or playing a round of golf with friends. He is also a voracious reader, particularly of Reformed theology and the Puritans, and is often found working through a stack of new books from a wide range of Christian publishers.
Dave earned his M.A.R. and M.Div. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.




