Anthony Delgado
Husband, Father, Pastor, Teacher, Writer, Podcaster
Biblical ReEnchantment Podcast


Humanity was created for communion with God but became estranged through Adam’s exile from Eden—a spatial and relational separation symbolized by eastward movement away from sacred space. This estrangement, inherited by all humans, frames sin not as the root problem but as the consequence of being spiritual orphans. Redemption is not primarily legal pardon but adoption—restoration to God’s family. Scripture emphasizes that not all are children of God by default; adoption into God's household comes only through faith and rebirth. The gospel begins with the Father's love, not law, and its ultimate aim is not moral improvement but restored relationship—a return home from exile, where humans are no longer the prodigal race but beloved sons and daughters.
The interview with Greg Gordon engages his book ‘An Ancient Worship Movement’ and explores his journey from evangelical house church movements to embracing liturgical worship through St. Thomas Church, emphasizing the richness of early church practices. The discussion covers sacramental theology, the integration of evangelical zeal with historical liturgy, and the spiritual depth found in ancient worship traditions. Gordon, along with hosts Anthony Delgado (Biblical Reenchantment Podcast) and Brandon Spain (Unrefined Podcast), reflects on the rediscovery of liturgical elements in modern Christian movements, the role of baptism, spiritual warfare, and the importance of unifying evangelical and sacramental expressions of faith. They also discuss the challenges of contemporary liturgical traditions, the need for revival, and the spiritual battle within worship, ultimately encouraging pastors and believers to reclaim a fuller, more historical approach to Christian discipleship.
This podcast episode explores the Christus Victor model of atonement, emphasizing Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and cosmic powers. We’ll look at the Deuteronomy 32 worldview (and DCW), which describes God assigning divine beings to rule over the nations, many of whom rebelled and led humanity into idolatry. We’ll look at the Divine Council, the Fall of the Watchers, and spiritual warfare, using passages from Deuteronomy, Psalms, Daniel, and other scriptures to illustrate the ongoing conflict between God’s kingdom and fallen powers. The episode highlights Jesus’ triumph over these forces through his crucifixion and resurrection, the implications for believers, and the eschatological hope of Christ’s ultimate reign.
In this episode, Cody and Anthony discuss the urgency of the Great Commission: proclaiming Jesus as King. They’ll examine how the Kingdom Gospel challenges us beyond simply ‘believing’ to actively bringing the nations under Jesus’s rule through discipleship. They also unpack what it means to center the Gospel on Jesus’s Kingship, explore the story of the criminals on the cross, and consider how this Kingdom-centered approach gives profound meaning and purpose to the Great Commission.
In this episode, Cody and Anthony discuss Jesus's kingship as ‘The Anointed One’ or Messiah. We’ll explore how Jesus fulfills the messianic expectations of the Old Testament, taking on the role of both divine Lord and Davidic King. We'll also unpack the significance of Jesus being called ‘the Christ,’ the weight of his authority over all creation, and how this title shapes our understanding of who Jesus is.
In this episode, Cody and Anthony discuss the concept of refugees in the Bible, exploring how the Bible portrays believers as spiritual refugees who leave behind the Kingdom of the World to seek shelter and citizenship in the Kingdom of God, where we will find some profound implications of God’s refuge, the scriptural background for this idea, and what it truly means to live as a refugee in Christ’s Kingdom.
In this episode, Anthony and Cody discuss the theme of divine rebellion, tracing the origins of sin and the influence of spiritual beings in biblical history. They explore how the presence of “serpents” in our world continually tempts humanity toward self-sovereignty and rebellion, drawing connections from Genesis through the New Testament. Together, they unpack the Hebrew Scriptures' portrayal of giants, demons, and the consequences of divine rebellion, emphasizing the importance of personal responsibility in resisting these influences.
Anthony and Cody delve into Genesis 3 to explore the theme of human rebellion and the origins of sin, revisiting the distinction between the meganarrative and metanarrative in biblical theology, and examining how sinfulness begins with Adam and unfolds throughout Scripture. Building on the last episode, which highlighted the importance of the Old Testament for understanding New Testament theology, this episode looks closely at how the ideas of original sin and rebellion carry through to our understanding of the church as a refuge from the world. By the end, we'll see how the Old Testament shapes these crucial theological concepts.
Anthony and Cody explore the New Testament's reliance on the Old Testament, emphasizing how early Christian teachings were rooted in these scriptures. They also discuss the historical dangers of "New Testament-only" sects, like Marcionism, which rejected the Old Testament, leading to theological distortions. Finally, they explain why understanding the Old Testament is essential for framing the New Testament, rather than treating it as an entirely new movement.
In this episode, The Gospel as Story, Anthony and Jami discuss the narrative elements of the Gospel. We’ve already talked about what the Gospel isn’t and what a Gospel is. In The Gospel as a story, we unpack some of the ways that the Gospel is presented in the scriptures and the Church Fathers and comment on the differences with the way the Gospel is presented today.
Anthony and Cody discuss what is NOT the Gospel, specifically looking at the Romans Road, the 4 Spiritual Laws, and the ABCs of the Gospel. These methods for sharing the Gospel often take the place of the Gospel in the thinking of modern Christians. What is missing is the story, the narrative of Christ’s work. What’s at stake when we jump to theological extrapolation and methodology and leave the core of the Gospel behind?
Anthony and Cody discuss the word gospel and the context of gospel in the Ancient Near Eastern Setting. Before we can understand the Gospel of Jesus Christ, we need to first understand how the word Gospel was used in the biblical world and how the genre of gospel contributed to ancient society, both in the Hebrew context and in the Pagan/Roman world.
Biblical ReEnchantment Books
Biblical Theology Videos
This conversation examines the biblical and theological significance of sinister spiritual forces, with a particular focus on the watchers and holy ones mentioned in Daniel and 1 Enoch. Scripture presents human history as a cosmic battlefield where unseen powers oppose God’s purposes, a theme often neglected in modern preaching out of caution, skepticism, or overemphasis on Christ’s victory. The discussion examines how early church fathers addressed these beings without embarrassment, how post-Enlightenment rationalism and modern esotericism have distorted our view of the supernatural, and how texts like 1 Enoch shed light on the origin of demons as the disembodied spirits of the Nephilim. Attention is given to passages such as Genesis 6, Psalm 82, Deuteronomy 32, Ephesians 6, and Revelation 12, showing their interconnection with the watchers. The narrative links ancient rebellion to contemporary cultural confusion, arguing that distorted echoes of the watchers appear in modern fascinations with aliens and fringe spirituality. Ultimately, the call is for Christians to reclaim a robust biblical theology of the supernatural, recognizing Christ not only as the Savior who comforts but also as the Warrior who conquers, and to prepare for renewed hunger for truth and deliverance in an age marked by deception and spiritual searching.
Anthony Delgado and Dre Binley explore the controversial topic of giants, with Anthony affirming their biblical and symbolic significance while noting the importance of reading Scripture within its full cosmological framework. He argues that giants represent tyranny and rebellion against God, and that their meaning is more theological than archaeological. The conversation then shifts to Revelation, where Anthony cautions against rigid interpretive systems, preferring to read the book as a symbolic narrative that combines myth and history to reveal the conflict between earthly kingdoms and Christ’s kingdom. He contrasts covenant theology with dispensationalism, affirming one consistent people of God and highlighting how Revelation ties into the broader biblical story. They discuss common misconceptions—that Revelation is scary, entirely future, or unnecessary—and reframe it as deeply pastoral and hopeful, especially when read through chapters 21–22. Finally, Anthony emphasizes that his interest in giants, Revelation, and related texts is ultimately about the gospel: God’s plan to redeem, transform, and restore humanity into his eternal family through Christ.
This conversation examines the significance of the Dead Sea Scrolls, their role in affirming the reliability of Scripture, and their connection to biblical theology. Anthony Delgado explains how the Scrolls demonstrate the care of scribes in preserving the biblical text, countering claims that the Bible is like a “telephone game.” The discussion then shifts to the Book of Enoch, clarifying that while it is not Scripture, it influenced Second Temple thought and appears to underlie New Testament passages such as Jude 6. Delgado highlights parallels between Enoch and Revelation, noting shared apocalyptic imagery, depictions of the unseen realm, and scenes of judgment that help contextualize John’s vision. Revelation presents a cosmic conflict in which loyalty to God or to contrary spirits determines one's destiny, with angels playing an active role in God’s governance. Ultimately, the dialogue frames this material not just as academic, but as fuel for worship, reminding listeners that God’s authority is supreme and that Scripture invites us into an awe-filled participation in his redemptive plan.
Articles by Anthony Delgado
God is omnipresent, an attribute that converges with his sovereignty over creation and salvation. In the following article, the analogy of a carpenter making a chair is used to explain how different theological traditions—Semi-Pelagianism, Arminianism, and Calvinism—understand the relationship between God’s role and human responsibility in salvation, arguing that while each tradition captures some essence of truth, how God’s omnipresence and timeless sovereignty hold all things—creation, history, and salvation—within himself and without contradiction. The aim of the article is not to settle any disagreements between classical soteriological perspectives, but to inspire deeper thinking on the matter.
Recent data indicates that after decades of steady decline, Christianity's presence in the United States has stabilized, particularly among younger adults. While overall religiosity remains lowest among those aged 18–24, the generational drop in Christian affiliation appears to have halted, with the youngest Gen Z cohort showing similar religious identification and practices to their slightly older peers. Young men, once expected to lead the exodus from religion, are retaining faith at slightly higher rates than young women, narrowing the historic gender gap. Though anecdotal reports highlight a growing interest in traditional expressions of Christianity, such as Eastern Orthodoxy and Latin Mass Catholicism, and cultural influencers have sparked renewed spiritual curiosity among some, these trends remain statistically small and highly concentrated. The data suggest not a resurgence, but a pause in religious decline; the dominant pattern remains one of widespread secularization, with only subtle signs of potential revival emerging at the margins.
Clowns embody contradiction and inversion, acting as cultural symbols that expose the boundaries and hypocrisies of human systems through humor, discomfort, and absurdity. Though often feared, their purpose is not malevolence but revelatory: clowns function as sacred fools or prophetic tricksters who disrupt social order to reveal truth. Historically rooted in the role of the jester, the clown occupies the space between order and chaos, revealing hidden realities and confronting tyranny by returning overextended structures to a state of potential. The clown’s unsettling presence reminds us of the wilderness beyond the city—unformed but filled with potential—where God's dominion is meant to extend. Unlike the Nephilim, who represent fallen power structures rooted in underworld tyranny, clowns challenge tyrannical structures by embodying disorder in the hopes of divine renewal. They are not evil but disruptive, meant to provoke discomfort that leads to growth in wisdom, endurance, and insight. In a world of inverted values, the clown is the only archetype meant to turn things right-side up.
Churches take many different forms. Some of the differences between churches arise from a cultural expression of biblical teachings, while others reflect theological convictions shaped by particular traditions, congregations, or teachers. Sacramentalism, as will be further explained, is a theological position that emphasizes ordinances established by God’s word, followed by faithful obedience through sacrament, resulting in divine activity. In contrast, churches that follow a Normative Principle of Worship (to be defined further) may, through well-meaning human creativity, inadvertently drift from God’s design for his church as revealed in Scripture. Sacramentalism guards against this by emphasizing a degree of regulation in Christian worship and practice, rooted in God’s revealed will. This article will explore some of the biblical, theological, and historical foundations of sacramentalism and argue that a return to a historically Protestant sacramental theology offers the most faithful vision for the life and worship of the church.
Some Protestants are fascinated by the Pope, while others—understandably, given church history—want nothing to do with him. While I don’t think fascination with the Pope is healthy for Protestant Christians, I do believe that meaningful dialogue between Catholics and Protestants is increasingly necessary. The reasons behind the Protestant Reformation remain essential, but they do not mean there is nothing we can learn from one another. With that in mind, I would like to consider three lessons that Protestants can take away from the 2025 conclave—lessons that will hopefully bolster our understanding of leadership and succession within our own traditions.
Andrew B. Perrin aims to reconnect readers with the ancient yet continuously evolving narrative of the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS), clarifying misconceptions and emphasizing the scrolls’ enduring significance for biblical interpretation and textual criticism. The book challenges traditional assumptions and highlights how recent research, including technological advancements and exposure of forgeries, reshapes our understanding of biblical texts in their historical contexts. Perrin encourages readers to engage with the scrolls not merely as artifacts but as windows into Second Temple Judaism, demonstrating the diverse religious environment that birthed the New Testament and early Christianity. His approach reflects the ongoing, dynamic conversation between ancient findings and contemporary scholarship, advocating for a thoughtful reassessment of biblical tradition through the lens of this extraordinary archaeological discovery.
Small variations in prompt wording can significantly change the course of AI-generated theological research, as exemplified in the debate between Arminianism and Calvinism. Shifts in phrasing shape the model’s assumptions, research patterns, source selection, and final conclusions in ways that often go unnoticed, revealing how easily bias can be loaded into the process without realizing it. AI models tend to prioritize systematic theological structures, emphasize textual coherence over narrative development, and reinforce the framing presented to them, making truly objective theological analysis difficult to achieve through artificial intelligence.
Michael Heiser understood Christ’s atonement as a multifaceted reality best described as a kaleidoscope, where various theories—Penal Substitution, Ransom, Moral Influence, Governmental, Recapitulation, Christus Victor, and potentially others—each offer legitimate insights into the work of Christ without needing to be synthesized into a single system. He affirmed substitution as biblically essential while rejecting the notion that God’s wrath was poured out on Jesus in a punitive sense. Heiser emphasized biblical theology over systematic formulations, preferring to let the text speak in its own diversity. Among the models, he notably favored Christus Victor, seeing Christ’s death, resurrection, and ascension as the defeat of spiritual powers and the beginning of cosmic restoration.
Demons are real, and their origin traces back to the Nephilim—the giant offspring of rebellious divine beings and human women—whose disembodied spirits now roam the earth in defiance of God. These unclean spirits emerge from ancient cosmic rebellion and continue to corrupt, deceive, and oppose God’s purposes in the world. They promote false teachings, exploit human institutions, and wage spiritual war against humanity. Yet their influence is not ultimate; through Jesus, the Kingdom of God has broken in to confront and overcome their power.
A recent article posted on the TGC website by Harrison Perkins claims to be a review of Matthew Bates’ recent book, Beyond the Salvation Wars, but only succeeds as a ‘hit piece’ intended to highlight the specific theological camp encouraged in the TGC community. Perkins claims that “Bates’s gospel and his arguments for it have several significant flaws.” Perkins does not list the flaws by number, but I’d like to address five specific criticisms he makes of Bates before providing some concluding thoughts. I’ll pose these as questions to be answered as I do not believe the claims accurately represent Bates’ positions.

Anthony Delgado
Anthony Delgado is a pastor and author from Southern California with nearly two decades of experience in Christian leadership and Bible teaching. He studied Christian Reason at Sterling College and holds an MABTS from Knox Theological Seminary. He sees the Bible as a single story of God’s redemption that pervades the scriptures from Genesis to Revelation and seeks to unearth that narrative through the various threads woven throughout.
Anthony is the author of The Gospel is Bigger than You Think (2024) and The Watchers and the Holy Ones (2023) and hosts the Biblical Reenchantment Podcast, available at AnthonyDelgado.net. While his dedication to ministry and writing keeps him busy, he treasures time outdoors with his wife and three kids, biking, kayaking, hiking, and enjoying God’s creation.
Lead Pastor
Palmdale Church
Palmdale Church is a multigenerational, multiethnic Christian community devoted to following Jesus and sharing Jesus’ love with our communities in Palmdale and in the Antelope Valley. Palmdale Church gathers for popup church services in different public locations.

Palmdale Church, Popup Worship Service @ Yellen Park, 10-10-21