Pastor Derek Buikema of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church recently interviewed Rod Dreher about his latest book, Live Not By Lies. Even though sales of this book have been excellent, Pastor Buikema notes that little attention has been given to the book by the mainstream press.

The heart of this excellent interview is a phenomenon we are seeing but don’t always want to acknowledge: we are living in a time of soft totalitarianism. Those who have been blessed to live in the USA all their lives are often not as quick to recognize this as those who have come from communist nations.

Dreher is not overexaggerating what we are facing but rather highlights the confluence of force displayed in media, education, government, and many businesses in our nation. In the Soviet Union, you dared not speak out against the government. In the USA today, businesses monitor employees to see if they are straying from the party line. College students who post flyers for conservative groups are called before Diversity Deans and asked to sign pre-written apologies. Is this the equivalent of the Gulag Archipelago? Of course not, but let’s not minimize or ignore what is taking place just because we don’t feel the pressure as acutely.

The great challenge is to not live by lies. We are called to faithfulness, truth, and love. Many Christians think this is simply niceness. But neither the prophets nor Jesus was nice, but rather loving in the true, biblical sense, speaking the truth even when it wasn’t popular. We must live according to objective truth. It is essential to do this in both words and actions.

We do best to consider the lives of those who have gone before us. Rev. 12:11 declares, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

Many are willing to exchange liberty for comfort. Will we be guilty of doing the same or will we live with courage and hope despite what we may face?

Please watch this 35 minute video and please consider sharing it on your social media platforms:

Editor’s Note: The views and opinions expressed are those of Rod Dreher
and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Illinois Family Institute.

IFI was honored to interview theologian, pastor, and author Dr. Carl Trueman earlier this year. In this interview, Pastor Derek Buikema of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church asked a pressing question: “How did we get here?” Dr. Trueman tracks the intellectual genealogy of our culture’s current ideological position.  

Dr. Trueman notes that over the past 200-400 years, Western societies have come to prioritize inner feelings, and he tracks this “progressive” position, which he calls expressive individualism, back to 16^th century philosopher, Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Dr. Trueman examines the secularization of Christianity in the West, the dangerous culture of expressive individualism, the importance of a scriptural foundation, and the responsibilities of Christians. 

The full 33-minute interview can be viewed HERE. So, sit back and enjoy this special production, and then please consider sharing it with your friends.

Pastor Derek Buikema asks professor, theologian, and author Dr. Carl Trueman to explain a bit about “expressive individualism,” the subject of Dr. Trueman’s important book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution.

The ideas that “The real me is my feelings, and my ability to express those feelings outwardly makes me an authentic person,” are central features of expressive individualism, the most extreme form of which is “transgenderism.”

Dr. Trueman urges Christians to acknowledge what expressive individualism gets right as well as to acknowledge the serious dangers posed by not grounding our feelings in external realities and truths.

In this excerpt from IFI’s interview with professor, theologian, and author Dr. Carl Trueman, Pastor Derek Buikema asks what should determine whether Christians stay or leave a church (or denomination) that appears to be moving away from orthodoxy.

In this excerpt from IFI’s interview with Professor Carl Trueman, author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self, Pastor Derek Buikema’s asks why, “in some places mainline Christianity” has come to affirm sin. Dr. Trueman identifies two factors as integral to this apostasy: freedom of religion and the church’s “vocabulary of love.”

IFI was blessed to be able to interview Grove City College professor of biblical and religious studies and author of The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to Sexual Revolution Dr. Carl Trueman last fall when he was the keynote speaker at the annual Touchstone Conference held at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Illinois. His landmark book has been lauded by cultural critics from Rod Dreher to Ben Shapiro to Al Mohler.

IFI was blessed too by Derek Buikema, lead pastor at Orland Park Christian Reformed Church in Orland Park, Illinois who conducted the interview for us.

In this first four-minute segment, Pastor Buikema asks Prof. Trueman how America got to this place of cultural confusion and disorder. Trueman begins by examining the statement, “I’m a woman trapped in a man’s body,” which Prof. Trueman argues reveals how “feelings have been granted authority. … even over the evidence of our own bodies.” Prof. Trueman argues that both philosophical trends from 18th Century as well as contemporary sitcoms reinforce and propagate the belief that feelings define who we are.

In addition to intellectual trends, Prof. Trueman discusses “material” trends that have contributed to the ascendancy of instability, confusion, and chaos, over stability and order. Those trends include mobility and the manipulation of the human body.

IFI strongly recommends watching the interview with Prof. Trueman and forming small groups to study either The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self or its more concise and companion book Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution.

In this third excerpt from an interview with theologian Dr. Peter Leithart, Pastor Derek Buikema begins by acknowledging that not only are there no secular institutions that support Christians but also that increasing numbers of Christian institutions are failing to support Christians. Dr. Leithart explains the reasons for these failures of the contemporary church, which include cowardice in the face of public pressure and the exaltation of “toleration” as an unalloyed good within Western churches, which is turning churches into “allies of the persecutors.”

Pastor Buikema then asked how Christians can discern whether a church or Christian institution, including Christian colleges, has capitulated too much to the world. Dr. Leithart offers several ways for Christians to assess properly whether a church is standing steadfastly with Christ as opposed to making “space” for the world.

This discussion is especially important at this time in the history of the church in America, when “progressivism” is infiltrating and corrupting Christian institutions.

IFI was honored to have theologian, pastor, and courageous truth-teller Doug Wilson speak at our September banquet, after which he continued his critique of culture in an interview with Pastor Derek Buikema of the Orland Park Christian Reformed Church. Pastor Wilson addressed the cultural issues to which Christians must respond: abortion and “same-sex mirage.” Take a break from the holiday hubbub to savor and be both educated and challenged by words that more pastors and priests should be speaking.

We have two video versions for your consideration.  Our short “highlights” video is six minutes long and can be viewed HERE.

The full video interview can be viewed HERE.  So sit back and enjoy twenty-two minutes of instructive and uplifting conversation with Pastor Wilson. And if you enjoy it, please consider sharing it with your friends.

IFI was honored to have English professor Anthony Esolen as one of our esteemed speakers at our banquet in September 2015. Professor Esolen spoke eloquently, soberly, and politically incorrectly about the state of American culture—or lack thereof. Following the banquet he sat down with Derek Buikema, pastor of preaching and worship at Orland Park Christian Reformed Church, for a bracing interview on the corrupt state of our culture and the toxic environment we call public education.

We have two video versions for your consideration.  Our short “preview” video is three minutes long and can be viewed HERE.

The full video can be viewed HERE.  So get a cup of hot chocolate and cozy blanket and enjoy a half-hour of scintillating conversation with Professor Esolen. And if you enjoy it, please consider sharing it with your friends.

Do you remember the popular advertising slogan, “When E. F. Hutton talks, people listen”? While good financial advice can boost your net worth, solid theology, biblical scholarship, and consistent application of the Word of God are infinitely more profitable. With that in mind, you will definitely want to listen closely as you view this timely and informative conversation featuring Dr. Robert Gagnon and Pastor Derek Buikema.

Beginning “in the beginning,” Dr. Gagnon presents an overview of what the Bible says about marriage by explaining the importance of the specific words that are used in the account of God’s creation of man and woman in Genesis 1 and 2. Dr. Gagnon also discusses complimentary otherness, human sexual ethics, and Jesus’ authoritative voice on the topic of divorce and remarriage.

As the conversation continues, Dr. Gagnon and Pastor Buikema address the scriptural prohibition against homosexuality, impurity offenses, the danger of compromise, tolerance, and acceptance within the church concerning matters of morality, and the proper motivation for discipline.

If you hesitate or struggle to confidently articulate or promote a biblical worldview regarding homosexuality, same-sex “marriage,” polyamory, and other perversions, I encourage you to watch this video – and share it with friends and family.

Dr. Robert Gagnon is a professor of New Testament theology at Houston Baptist University and the author of The Bible and Homosexual Practice: Texts and Hermeneutics.

Pastor Derek Buikema is the lead pastor at Orland Park Christian Reformed Church.

In his interview with Derek Buikema of Orland Park Christian Reformed Church, Dr. Allan C. Carlson discusses the current political climate as it relates to American Christianity and the family. Certain policies, for example, though promoted by the Republican party, are detrimental to the family. If replaced or improved, Carlson argues, conservatives could restore the focus on marriage, children, and the family in our country as well as improve the economy. Using examples from Hungary and other countries, Carlson delivers his opinions on reshaping conservative politics to more truly reflect Christianity, as well as his ideas on why Christians ought to be involved in politics at all at this time.

Dr. Carlson is President Emeritus of the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society (previously known as the Rockford Institute). He is the John Howard Senior Fellow at the International Organization for the Family, and Editor of The Natural Family: An International Journal of Research and Policy.

Dr. Carlson is the author of the books, Family Questions: Reflections on the American Social Crisis; The Swedish Experiment in Family Politics: The Myrdals and the Interwar Population Crisis; From Cottage to Work Station: The Family’s Search for Social Harmony in the Industrial Age; The New Agrarian Mind: The Movement Toward Decentralist Thought in 20th Century America; Society, Family, Person; and The American Way: Family and Community in the Shaping of the American Identity.

Previously we have featured a series of video excerpts, but, as promised, we are now pleased to present the entirety of Pastor Derek Buikema’s recent interview with Rod Dreher, senior editor at the American Conservative and author of The Benedict Option.

Mr. Dreher begins by stating that one purpose of a Christian is to transform the world with the truth of the gospel – but how can that be accomplished when so many people don’t know what the faith teaches and lack spiritual discipline?

Pastor Derek and Rod engage in an in-depth discussion of the Benedict Option, detailing what it is and what it is not. Rod promotes the need for a “strategic” (not cowardly) retreat from anti-Christian culture in order to prepare and be strengthened to endure the persecution we know we will face.

The conversation continues with encouragement for Christians and the Church to be politically engaged and willing to fight for religious liberty, and Rod and Pastor Derek examine the value of distinctly Christian communities and institutions, especially institutions of higher learning. Rod concludes the interview with a personal example concerning the appropriate expression of righteous anger.

Please watch and share on social media:

The third excerpt from Pastor Derek Buikema’s interview with Dr. Allan Carlson is a fascinating discussion of how public policies can be family-friendly–that is, can support and encourage the creation of natural marriage and childbearing—or family-unfriendly.

Dr. Carlson discusses how, despite the many, huge, and important benefits of capitalist market economies, there are ways that such economies negatively affect natural marriage and childbearing. By exploring policies implemented in Hungary and Poland to encourage the formation of natural and larger families, Dr. Carlson illuminates some of the ways such deleterious effects can be blunted here in the United States.

Watch the previous segments:

Part 1 – How to Win The Culture Wars

Part 2 – What Can America Learn From Other Christian Politics?

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In Part V of Pastor Derek Buikema’s interview with Benedict Option author Rod Dreher, Pastor Derek asks what communities that seek to cultivate a deep and abiding faith within our increasingly anti-Christian culture will or should look like. Rod explains that there is no formula and that different cultural milieus will produce different kinds of communities. He shares what one such community looks like and looks forward to seeing what kinds of diverse communities will develop.

Watch: part 1, part 2, part 3 and/or part 4.

IFI is hosting our annual Worldview Conference on March 7th at the Village Church of Barrington. This year’s conference is titled “Thinking Biblically About Our Corrosive Culture” and features Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Rob Gagnon. For more information, please click HERE for a flyer or click the button below to register for the conference.

In Part 4 of Pastor Derek Buikema’s interview with author Rod Dreher, they discuss the critical importance of Christians being involved in politics with Rod warning that while Christians may not be interested in politics, “Politics is interested in” Christians. He further warns that the growth of “LGBT rights can only come at the expense of religious liberty.”

Rod makes clear that enabling “the church to have the freedom to be the church is going to require us to engage in politics.” He emphasizes that as the “country is de-Christianized, we have to be prepared to fight for religious liberty.” Please take five minutes to watch this important video and share with others directly and via social media.

Watch: part 1, part 2, or part 3.

IFI is hosting our annual Worldview Conference on March 7th at the Village Church of Barrington. This year’s conference is titled “Thinking Biblically About Our Corrosive Culture” and features Dr. Michael Brown and Dr. Rob Gagnon. For more information, please click HERE for a flyer or click the button below to register for the conference.