We talk a lot about our hearts, both inside and outside the church.

But what do we really mean by that word? What is a distinctly Christian vision of the heart?

And how would it compare to the broader culture's understanding?

In our interview today, I'm talking with Craig Troxel about what the Bible really says about the human heart and how it relates to the mind, the desires, and the will.

Craig is a former pastor who currently serves as professor of practical theology at Westminster Seminary in California.

He's also the author of, With All Your Heart,

Orienting Your Mind, Desires, and Will Toward Christ from Crossway. Let's get started.

Well, Craig, thank you so much for joining me today on the Crossway podcast. It's good to be

here. Thank you, Matt. So as I was preparing to talk with you today, I was doing a little bit of thinking about the way that we often think and talk about our hearts.

And I think both outside of the church and our broader culture, but especially within the church, we do talk about our hearts a lot. We have

phrases that we use a lot that refer to our hearts. And so it's a common topic for us to be

thinking at least a little bit about. But I've also noticed that I think I was thinking about

myself, if someone were to ask me, we'll define exactly what

do you mean by the heart, particularly from like a biblical or Christian perspective. What does that

mean? I think I might have a hard time really defining it precisely. So I guess I just wonder,

you've been a both a pastor for years and now you're a professor teaching seminary students.

Have you observed that dynamic that we use this language a lot, but we don't always know what

we actually mean by it?

Yes.

And I mean, I think that's an excellent place to begin.

I think there are common conceptions in the church that we've gained from the culture

than those conceptions we have in the church because the church has not discouraged certain understandings of the heart.

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