Ironing Out Our Conflicting Message on the Usefulness of the Old Testament – Part 2
It is important in this conversation that we stick with scripture itself for our guide. In Churches of Christ that is one of our mantras – that we stick by scripture even over tradition. But in the case of how we read and use the Old Testament we skip right past what the New Testament […]
Conviction
Not a popular word these days. Conviction draws lines. Some will agree and many will not. I am not talking about being a divisive person. I am recognizig the fact that strongly held beliefs by their very nature differentiate people from each other. They make some people stand out in an area where others do […]
What Do We Know About Joseph?
The New Testament doesn’t give us an awful lot of information about Joseph but we do know a few things from what we have in Matthew, Luke and John. First, we know that Joseph was Jewish and a descendant of David and originally from Bethlehem. Matthew tells us that in his genealogy in Matthew 1. […]
Response to “The Ugly in Christianity” at the Huffington Post
There is an article floating around on the Huffington post that has caused a bit of a stir among Church of Christ members because it is about the ugly side of Christianity and by that the author means the ugly side of the Church of Christ which is, in her experience, the vast majority of […]
Book Review: Renewed – Clothed with the Wealth of Jesus in a Tattered Land by Bruce Morton
I have really been enjoying teaching through Colossians the last few Sunday mornings in my adult Bible class. Paul’s letter is so relevant for us today in helping us understand how the things we believe as Christians are different from the belief systems of the world. There is an analogy Paul uses in Colossians 3 […]
Sermon on the Mount – Salt and Light
Jesus starts the sermon on the mount with some lessons on being instead of lessons on doing. Blessed are the…You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world. The apostle Paul picked up this same approach in several of his letters, reminding people of who they are before telling them […]
The Sermon on the Mount – The Beatitudes Part 2
Last Sunday I spent some time unpacking the meaning and application of Jesus’ beatitudes in the sermon on the mount. When you have a moment give it a listen. I believe you will be blessed and encouraged as you listen to just how much God loves you.
Chosen By God: Two Extremes and Some Middle Ground
Just how much is God at work in the world? Is God responsible for all things or nothing at all? Is God involved in every detail of every happening or has God left us to fend for ourselves? There are two extreme positions to just how much God works in the world. On one side […]
Brief Review of a Not so Brief Book – Paul and the Faithfulness of God by N.T. Wright
I started this book months ago while on jury duty and finally finished it last week. I have a hard copy but decided to read this via the kindle app on my iphone 4S. That was brutal! I think I would have to read this book several times to really get out of it half […]
Building a Theological & Ministry Library Part 4 – Bible Background
Learning the background of the world around Bible times is critical to good Bible study. There are a number of excellent books to choose from to get you closer to their world. The better you understand their world the better you hear the words from scripture. So here are a few books to consider in […]