Real Talk

Family worship is one of the most neglected practices in the Christian home today. What is family worship, and how is it different from simply reading the Bible or praying before/after a meal?

In this episode, pastor and author Dr. Brian Najapfour joins us to discuss the biblical foundation for family worship, why it matters, and why worshipping together as a family is a grateful response to all Christ has done for us.

Whether you're just getting started or looking to strengthen an existing family rhythm, this conversation will encourage you to intentionally make...

Most men would say they would die for their wives and children. But will they live for them?

In this episode, we're joined by author and theologian Dr. Joel Beeke to discuss what biblical headship actually looks like. In a culture where leadership is often misunderstood, avoided, or distorted, we explore God's calling for men to lead their families with humility, conviction, and Christ-like love.

From the frame work of prophet, priest and king, we chat about holy habits,  marriage, discipline, and family leadership. This conversation offers both practical wisdom and gospel hope for husbands a...

What does true generosity actually look like? Have we reduced giving to percentages and leftovers, while missing the heart behind it all? In this episode, we’re joined by Rev. Henk Van der Woerd to discuss the biblical role of deacons, the ministry of mercy, and how generosity reflects the very character of God. From church leadership to stewardship and practical care, this conversation challenges the way we think about money, service, and the life of the church.

To listen to Rev. Van der Woerd’s full presentation referenced in this episode click here: https://www.sermonaudio.com...

What do we do with guilt? Is conviction something to fear—or could it actually be one of the ways God lovingly draws us back to Himself?

In part two of this conversation with Pastor Matt King, we talk honestly about sin, confession, repentance, and the difference between shame and guilt. We unpack why guilt, when understood rightly, isn’t meant to crush us, but can be a gift of God’s kindness that leads us back into relationship with Him.

We also explore what it means when we don’t feel convicted, the importance of confe...

Shame can be one of the most powerful forces shaping our lives and most of the time, we don’t even realize it.

In this episode, we go back to Genesis 3 to see where shame begins, then unpack how it still works today, distorting our thoughts, and changing how we see God, ourselves  and others.

But shame doesn’t get the final word. Joined again by fan favorite,

Pastor Matt King We talk about how Jesus steps directly into our shame, takes it on Himself, and what it actually looks like to start “shaming...

Mission drift is real and whether we realize it or not, it can happen to even the best of organizations and people.

In this episode, we’re joined by Peter Greer, author of the book Mission Drift, to talk about how drift happens and how to avoid it. Even with the best intentions, it’s easy to lose focus over time—and often, you don’t realize it until you’re already off course.

Through real examples, we unpack the subtle warning signs of mission drift, the influence of culture, and how leadership decisions, people, and priori...

We are all called to minister to others and the most meaningful ministry often happens quietly, in the small acts we often overlook. Joining us for this conversation is CRTS Professor and the author of The Ministry of Small Things, Dr. Reuben Bredenhof. We discuss the temptation to do big things, how we can cultivate a ministry of small things and the effects this kind of work has both on the one who receives and the one who gives.

If you want to learn more we highly encourage you to pick up a copy of The Ministry...

Everyone’s busy. Packed schedules, constant pressure, always something next. But the real question is—are you actually doing what matters?

In this episode, we talk about what it means to redeem your productivity—not by cramming more into your day, but by stewarding your time with purpose. If you’re someone who prides yourself on being busy, this might challenge you.

Joined by blogger and author of Do More Better, Tim Challies, we walk through principles of how to be productive and enjoy true rest in a way that stewards all of life for the glor...

Backsliding: Are We Presuming on God’s Grace?
Are we drifting in our faith without even realizing it? In this episode, Dr. Mark Jones joins us to tackle the quiet danger of backsliding—what it is, why it happens even in churchgoers, and how complacency can creep into our spiritual lives. From the subtle signs like pride, prayerlessness, and neglect of Scripture, to modern distractions and the love of the world.

This episode dives into what real growth, perseverance, and daily repentance look like, offering both conviction and hope as listeners are challenged to examine their hear...

Can the reality of Hell actually be comforting and how should it inform the way we live and share the Gospel?

In this part two in our series on eternity, Tyler and Dr. Will den Hollander discuss what hell is and how it displays the character of God. They also get into some quite emotional questions such as can God send a child to hell? How bad is it? And why doesn’t God just create the elect?

This episode will challenge your thinking, confront your assumptions, and show how the reality of hell comforts an...

Is conflict always bad? And do Christians always have to forgive? In this episode of Real Talk, we take an honest look at conflict and forgiveness—two realities every Christian faces because every Christian is in relationships.

We’re joined by Dr. Tim Lane, biblical counselor and author of Relationships, to explore what distinguishes godly conflict from ungodly conflict, what real forgiveness actually looks like, and how the gospel shapes our relationships—both personally and in the church.

Conflict doesn’t have to destroy relationships. And forgiveness is more than just words.

To learn mo...

It is with both heavy and grateful hearts that we release this episode in loving memory of Rev. William den Hollander—a faithful pastor, preacher, and dear friend of Real Talk.

Our guest for today, Dr. Will den Hollander, is Rev. den Hollander’s son. With his blessing, we chose to release this episode as originally scheduled. In God’s kind providence, this conversation on heaven arrives at a moment when the comfort of our eternal home feels especially near and deeply needed. 

Together, we explore questions many Christians wrestle with: What happens when we die? Wh...

What does it mean to have godly ambition and to work hard with what God has given you? Joining us to answer these questions is the Director of Eagle Builders, Craig Haan. Joined by his brother-in-law Gerrit Sterk, the two share the story of their family business and how God has blessed them as they’ve sought to work for His glory and the good of the Kingdom. Listen in, not only to hear a fantastic story, but to learn what it means to take action and be faithful every day.

A BIG THANKS TO OUR...

As Christians can we really say we don’t like to read?! Joining us for this conversation all about reading, how to actually do it and how to do it well is our friend and Reformed Perspective’s editor, Jon Dykstra. We chat about why as Christians we have to be readers, best practices for choosing books, and how as parents we can cultivate a love for reading in our kids. If your New Year’s resolution is to read more, be sure to listen to this episode to actually help you accomplish this goal.

And listen to the...

2025 was a big year for us. On top of building a new studio, we have worked hard to refine our purpose and identity to ensure that we are actually cultivating real talk that serves our community.

In this episode we are joined by Mark and Jon, our friends from Reformed Perspective, to discuss the influence of someone who created no shortage of discussion: Charlie Kirk. We discuss his desire to know the truth and his boldness to witness that truth to the world in the way our Saviour did.

As we move into 2026, we are...

Joining us for this fun episode is Amy Gannett, the founder of the ministry and podcast, Tiny Theologians! This is a podcast that is playing on repeat in Tyler’s home and he wanted to bring Amy on to chat about the importance of teaching our children big truths about God and his Word. Tiny Theologians does just that by providing children ages 2-14 with resources that help them grow in their knowledge and love of God. If you’re feeling the weight of what it means to disciple your children but don’t know where to start, we encour...

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR NEW STUDIO SETUP ON YOUTUBE! 

Joining us for this conversation on addiction is our friends from Agape Recovery, a new Christ-centered recovery program launching January 2026 here in Southern Ontario. Jake and Carling share bit about the organization and the Agape framework. We address the spiritual foundations of addiction and what it means to be in recovery and experience healing. We hope this episode both convicts you to see what might be taking the place of God in your heart while also encouraging you in the hope of the Holy Spirit's transforming w...

Last week we celebrated 508 years of the Reformation but how much thought did we actually give it? Joining us for a discussion on the history of the Reformation is prolific author and historian Douglas Bond. We speak about the context that bred the need for Reformation, the impact it made and what it actually means to “always be reforming.” We hope this episodes encourages you in knowing all history is God’s story! Be sure to check out all of Bond’s work including his most newest Advent family devotional, Infant Holy, Infant Lowly. 

You can see all of Bo...

You may have heard of Classical Education but do you know what it actually is? To answer this question, we are joined by Doug Sikkema and Jesse Newton, our new friends from Oakhill Christian Academy. We discuss the model and goal of Classical Christian Education and whether this is something that the Reformed schools are missing. We also chat about Oakhill, its  s and why you should view Classical Christian Education as a potential option for your children. If you want to learn more about Oakhill, check out oakhillhamilton.ca   

A BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR, NEERALTA, BUI...

Dr. Van Dam is back for the third time to finish off our series on the offices of the Church! We discuss his book, The Elder and deal with some hot topics such as, should elders be elected for terms or a lifetime? Are home visits really all that effective and what about woman voting? To learn more, pick up a copy of The Elder here.

Be sure to let us know what you think of this episode and if you found it at all helpful please share it with your family and friends!

A...

We are talking headship, submission and all things gender roles today. Joining us for this conversation is biblical counsellor, Andrea Kampen. We discuss what the Bible actually says about understanding the differences between men and women, how society can distort these differences, and why the Bible, rather than tradition, must be our foundation for this issue. Listen to find out who actually does the dishes!

A BIG THANKS TO OUR OFFICIAL SPONSOR, TRIVAN! WE APPRECIATE YOU HELPING US MAKE THIS CONVERSATION POSSIBLE. BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.TRIVAN.COM

To keep up...

Do you find yourself left with more questions than answers when you read the Old Testament? To help answer some of these tough Old Testament questions is CRTS Professor, Dr. Jannes Smith. Dr. Smith guides us through topics such as giants, justification, and challenging texts that can even seem offensive to modern readers. We even discuss whether the Church should be pro-Israel. This is an episode you don’t want to miss!

A BIG THANKS TO OUR OFFICIAL SPONSOR, TRIVAN! WE APPRECIATE YOU HELPING US MAKE THIS CONVERSATION POSSIBLE. BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.TR...

On August 1st, Veya Hope VanderBrugghen was taken home to her Heavenly Father. Joining us to tell Veya’s story is her mom, Krystal VanderBrugghen. Although recorded in July, Krystal and her husband, Jeremy, supported us in still releasing this episode as they seek to honour their daughter’s life by bringing to light the injustices they faced in her care. Their hope is to help other families in similar situations and to work towards making a change to a system that doesn’t view every life as precious and valuable. You can learn more by following Krystal on Instag...

Do we prioritize the Psalms in worship, or do we prefer hymns? Does this mean anything when it comes to theological drift? Joining Lucas for this father-son conversation is Pastor Peter Holtvlüwer, the editor of the Christ Psalms, Our Psalms resources. We address some common objections to the primacy of Psalm singing and even delve into some of the decisions made at the last CanRef synod regarding music in worship. Let us know what you think!

Be sure to check out the Christ’s Psalms, Our Psalms resources! 

As mentioned, we are seeking a new...

Why is marriage so hard? If you're single, does marriage scare you? We are grateful to have our friend, Pastor Matt King, join us to discuss the real struggles in marriage, but also the real hope we find in God’s beautiful design, which points us to the glory and grace found in Christ. We hope this episode encourages you to see the goodness and beauty of marriage in whatever season you’re in. 

Check out Insight Biblical Counselling and Broomtree Care. They are willing and able to help. Be sure to send your thoughts, questions and conce...

Is it possible to make abortion unthinkable? Joining Tyler to answer this question are Nick and Maaike Rosendal from the Canadian Centre for Bioethical Relief. We discuss what CCBR is, their strategies and why they believe graphic abortion images and apologetical arguments are the most effective tools in changing people’s minds. We also explore reasons to be hopeful in the pro-life fight. We hope this episode inspires and encourages you to think about how you can be a voice for the voiceless.

To learn more and to get involved, be sure to check out CCBR at ww...

Does the Bible have anything to say about economics? How should Christians think about the current trade wars? Join Lucas and Economics Professor, Dr. Caleb Fuller, for a discussion on his book, Mere Economics. We address many of these hot-button issues, as well as how to think critically about the economic decisions we make every day, whether we realize it or not.

Want to learn more? Let us know if you want a part 2 of this conversation, and be sure to pick up a copy of Mere Economics. 

BIG THANKS TO OUR OFFICIAL SPONSOR, TRIVAN! W...

Joining us for a two-part series on the office bearers of the Church is returning guest, Dr. Van Dam. We discuss his book, The Deacon, examining the biblical foundations for the ministry of mercy, the arguments for and against deaconesses, and how we can effectively support the work of deacons in our own churches. We hope this episode gives you a revived appreciation for the deaconry as they carry out the work of Christ amongst the needy.

Be sure to check out the list of related resources below.

The Deacon. 

Ep. 122 - Money D...

It’s one thing to have "real talk", but it’s another to actually apply it to life. It has been a while since we last got together so we thought it was time to do a special round-up recapping how these last six months of episodes have impacted our lives. Using the theme from the well-known book Just Do Something by Kevin DeYoung we chat about how we are all called to do something and how Real Talk has been helping us do this. We hope the same is true for you! If you haven’t yet, be sure t...

An episode for all ages! Joining us all the way from Colorado is Bruce Bruinsma from Retirement Reformation. We chat about how retirement is different when you’re a Christian, why young people should prepare now and how there is purpose in every stage of life. Let us know what you think!

Be sure to check out Retirement Reformation for more resources!

And be sure to check out these RP articles on Retirement here:

"Christians Don't Retire"

"Seniors - Florida Does Not Exist"

0:00 - Introduction

9:29 - Understanding Go...

Joining us for this important conversation is Word & Deed’s, Rick Postma. We chat about what poverty is, Word & Deed’s approach, and how the West's approach is not the fix it seems to be. We also discuss global persecution and the power of prayer. Be sure to listen all the way through to hear some amazing stories of how God is working around the world.

Check out Word & Deed here!

0:00 - Rick’s Story

8:00 - What is Poverty?

18:00 - View of Self

30:00 - How Word & Deed Helps<...

This one has been a long time coming! Honoured to be joined by returning guest Pastor Al Bezuyen and our new friend, Tyler Witthoeft. In the context of their stories, we chat about young men’s struggles and the importance of discipleship in developing godly men who lead well. Gospel-centred and saturated, we hope this episode inspires you to think more deeply on what it means to be a godly man.

If you want to hear more about Pastor Al’s story, check out Episode 9 of Real Talk.

0:00 - Intro

3:14 - Tyler...

Jojo Ruba joins us for this important conversation on love, identity and sexuality. We discuss his upcoming book that responds to the world’s assumptions about these issues. We also discuss the importance of understanding identity and why saying “gay Christian” is unbiblical. And we even delve into how the LGBTQ movement is creating issues with in our own local community. You don’t want to miss this one! Be sure to let us know if you have any feedback, We’d love to hear it.

If you want to learn more be sure to check out www. redee...

With everything going on north and south of the border, we thought it was time for a political update! Joining us is returning guest and ARPA’s Executive Director, Mike Schouten. Along with an ARPA update, we chat about Mark Carney, a possible election and how we should consider our Christian responsibility in Canada. Be sure to let us know what you think!

If you want to learn more about Mark’s personal story and how that has impacted his work, check out Episode 64 of Real Talk.

0:00 - Intro

5:40 - Mark Carne...

Such an important conversation for you today! NYC Pastor Paul Murphy joined us to share his story and to talk about the importance of evangelism as a way of life. We primarily discuss why and how our (Dutch) Reformed Churches struggle to evangelize and do it well. We also get into what truly should motivate evangelism: love for God and love for the lost. We hope this episode encourages and inspires you to really think about your love for the lost and the importance of sharing the Gospel, for it truly is a matter of life or death.

Happy Monday! We got a big one for you this week. Joining Tyler for this conversation is avid BC hunter Jerry Pol. We wanted to sit down to chat about hunting, its ethics and what it actually means to hunt as a Christian. If you’re an avid hunter or have never hunted before, we hope this episode inspires you to GET OUTSIDE and think about hunting as more than a hobby but as a way to better appreciate and steward God’s creation.

0:00 - Intro

6:09 - Jerry’s Story

23:00 - Stillness

36...

Is AI all bad? Is it actually taking over? How should we engage with it? Join Lucas AND Tyler as they chat with the good guys at Faith to Film all about AI. We cover what it is, the ethical dilemmas it presents and what this ever changing technology means for the Church. Let us know what you think!

0:00 - Intro

2:40 - What is AI?

6:00 - AI In Media

13:00 - AI Possibilites

29:00 - The Arms Race For AI

33:00 - AI and Education

51:00 - Ethical Dilemmas<...

A new episode for you this Monday! Joining us for this conversation on Christian politics is former MLA (MPP equivalent) James Teitsma. He has had quite an interesting journey in entrepreneurship and politics and much wisdom to share from his experience. We chat about getting more Christians into politics and how Christian politicians navigate controversy.

0:00 - Introduction

2:30 - Career Path

6:00 - Road to Politics

18:00 - Life as an MLA

29:00 - Being Christian in Politics

36:00 - Navigating Controversy

52:00 - How to best engage

A BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR, REDEEMER UNIVERSITY! WE APPRECIATE YOU HELPING US MAKE THIS CONVERSATION POSSIBLE. BE SURE TO CHECK THEM OUT AT WWW.REDEEMER.CA

Happy New Year, friends! The start of the year usually means university application season for a lot of high schoolers! Building off the Nov/Dec issue of Reformed Perspective, we thought it might be helpful to have a conversation thinking through all the post-secondary options. Is formal education still worth it? Is the work force better? Sharing our own experiences we chat through some of these questions. Be sure to l...

Happy last Monday of 2024! Join us for this conversation on how to align your faith and finances when it comes to investing. We hope this episode provides a good introduction to value-based investing and helps you think through what this means for you and your impact on the world. Be sure to let us know your thoughts as we hope to do a feedback episode for this topic.

On behalf of us here at Real Talk, thanks for your support and listenership in 2024. Stay tuned for another exciting year of podcasts - we’ve got lots in th...