Context; Context; Context. Robert Mayer reflects on how important Bible reading has been in his long journey of Christian faith and suggests how some key ideas for reading the Bible well helps us learn to better follow Jesus in a complex world.
Read MoreJefferson Vann shares the current introduction to his next book, a new translation and commentary on Matthew’s Gospel entitled “The kingdom from the sky.”
Read MoreIf you have ever encountered a Jehovah’s Witness, you may have been told that Jesus was not crucified on a cross, but rather nailed to an upright torture stake with no horizontal crossbeam. They say this is because of a mistranslation from the Greek to English language. Is this actually the case? And either way, why is this such an important issue? In this article, we will examine the claims of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, and explain why this is such a big deal to them.
Read More“Why is there so much inconsistency within the Advent Christian denomination when it comes to the ordination of women?”
This question came to mind recently while watching a live podcast episode of Bible Banter that had Dr. Mark Woolfington on as a guest for the topic of discussion: Ordination Standards.
The broad discussion was centered around what ordination standards are in place currently, what should change, and what is needed in ordination standards for Advent Christians. As I was listening and watching, I made a comment about the need for consistency in ordination standards, which led to more discussion on the need for a commonly identified theological foundation in order to build more consistent ordination standards.
Thinking about the inconsistent ordination standards, methods, processes, and practices got me thinking…
Read MoreYesterday, I sat in a faculty meeting as part of an ongoing conversation our school is having regarding issues related to race and ethnicity. These are hard discussions…
Read MoreAdvent Christians managed to make biblical authority meaningless even as it was being celebrated. What will we do today?
Read MoreThe puritan theologian John Owen in his treatise on the Trinity entitled “Communion with the Triune God,” shows how believers may have intimate communion with the persons of the Godhead. This is seen in Paul’s benediction from 2 Corinthians 13:14, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”
Read MoreIt is no secret that the Bible boasts a wealth of fulfilled prophecies, but I would venture a guess that few Christians could name one if asked. My favorite prophecy as of now is the destruction of Tyre (the capital of the Phoenician empire). This prophecy holds a special place in my mind because of its verifiability due to the extra biblical historical and geographic evidence available to us 2300 years after its fulfillment!
Read More“Are these practical ministry courses really necessary?”
This was the question that I asked throughout college and seminary. In college, I was a Biblical Studies major, and I was able to get out of preaching classes since I was not a Pastoral Ministries major. I didn’t have any practical ministry courses in college, but that was a different story in seminary. When I got to Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, I could not get out of the three required preaching classes, the required “mentored ministry” classes/credits (I had to be actively involved in ministry in some way, with a mentor to supervise me), and the practical ministry courses.
Needless to say, in the beginning I was upset.
Read More“When Jesus wept over the death of Lazarus, what do we learn about the humanity of Jesus?”
I have always been fascinated by the dual divinity and humanity of Christ. I’m intrigued by the fact that Jesus is fully God, and yet fully man at the same time. Two such identities should not be able to coexist in the same body, no? Scripture clearly says otherwise. Jesus was certainly God in human flesh, and the human flesh was not diminished by his divinity. Jesus was indeed fully divine, and fully human. This means that in his divinity, he understood and emanated the things of heaven; but in his humanity, he felt and experienced the things of earth.
Read MoreIt has come to my attention, over the past ten months, just how ruthlessly political anything we might call “news” has become, especially on the national level. And that is where I wish to direct the reader’s attention. This blog is not an invective against your local paper or news station. It is a warning siren against the CNNs, MSNBCs, FOXs, and other widely watched reporting institutions of the Western news media apparatus.
Read MoreSome skeptics have claimed that Jesus was a false apocalyptic prophet based on a couple of statements He made in the gospels. As a younger Christian, these verses troubled me and caused me to wonder the same thing. But a careful reading of the passages in question is sufficient to show why they should not be of concern to believers.
Read MoreJefferson Vann shares the story behind his translation of 1 Corinthians 11:10, and argues that it does not teach that males have authority over females.
Read MoreFor what it’s worth, these thoughts are some things that I’ve been processing. These opinions are my own.
I feel a bit torn. In an earlier post, I described myself as an “evangelical.” I’m not sure how helpful a label that is anymore. Actually, I’m not sure I would call myself a “Christian.” Bear with me a moment; it’s not as provocative as it sounds.
Read MoreTo define Christian character or biblical morality one must acknowledge that (1) there is absolute truth and (2) there is absolute right and wrong. This begs the question, “From where do we receive truth and our concept of right and wrong?” We need look no further than the nature of God who in Himself is good, just, and moral.
Read MoreThe Insurrection of January 6 brought shock to our country like we have not seen since 9/11 when planes crashed into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Many of us watched in horror as armed militias stormed our American Capitol building shouting death threats at Vice-president Mike Pence and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. I’m convinced that with another few minutes, they…
Read MoreTo begin, I have a confession to make: I enjoy pop music.
Read MoreWhat about our association? I have grown increasingly concerned that we don’t work as closely together as we need to in order to carry out the mission of God. Instead, fault lines run deep and some have grown weary due to a lack of theological and structural integrity. My hope is to draw out those who desire to work more closely together, who see the need for change so that we can become more effective and efficient in taking the Gospel to our neighbors and the nations. Consider this a call to mission and unity that seems to be lacking in our ranks.
Read MoreA great many skeptics have defined “faith” as “a belief that is not based on evidence,” and for some reason, many evangelicals accept this definition. But is this the way “faith” is used in the New Testament when Paul, Peter, or Jesus use it? Is this definition accurate in relation to the way the word was used in other works of ancient Greco-Roman literature? How do writers like Aristotle, Herodotus, Diodorus, and others who wrote in Koine Greek use the same word? Do they use it to mean “belief without evidence”? Or do they mean something entirely different. In this article we will explore these questions and clarify what is really meant by “faith.”
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