Having an Open Mind – The Pursuit of Intellectual Honesty
Three quotes for you regarding intellectual honesty and theology. The first is from Randy Harris and the last two were quoted in Jim’s sermon on Sunday from C.S. Lewis and G.K. Chesterton: “If I am going to have a conversation with a serious intellectual atheist, for instance, I will ask, “Tell me what it will […]
Pitfalls in Bible Study #2 – Goldilocks Theology
The more ideas you have about scripture the harder it can become to really listen to scripture. The failure to listen usually happens when you are out to make a point. So you grab a concordance or a site like biblegateway and start plugging words in the search box hoping to find a verse that […]
How Much is There Left to Say?
With thousands of Christian blogs, thousands of sermons, classes, and lectures being presented every single week, small group studies, personal studies…is there anything left to say? Blogging ideas used to jump into my head all of the time and it seems like lately they are fewer and further in between. I am sure that has […]
Books of the Bible and Application to 20 Somethings
In teaching 20s & 30s on a regular basis I am finding the need to be relevant more and more important. It is not that relevance didn’t used to be important. It just seems theology disconnected from real life application tends to fall on deaf ears a lot quicker in young adults than in my […]
The Crucifixion of Christ
We don’t like to leave Christ on the cross for very long. Our theology often gets in a rush to the resurrection. But the resurrection lacks its own possibility if you exclude the crucifixion of Christ. Anyone who has watched the movie The Passion of the Christ was moved by the brutality of what Jesus […]
Theory on Generational Differences in Memory
Have you ever noticed that people who are 50+ tend to remember all kinds of details from their childhood that many of us in our 20s & 30s couldn’t remember if our life depended on it? What makes this even more amazing is how much further removed they are from the events than those 20 […]
ACU Summit 2007-2009 Available for Free on itunes
Thanks to Philip for making me aware that you can listen to the ACU lectures for free on itunes. Here is the itunes link. Sermons available from the following speakers: Leroy Garrett David Fleer Randy Harris James Thompson Chris Seidman Brian McLaren Eric Wilson Robert Oglesby Thomas Olbricht Lynn McMillon Rick Atchley George Pendergrass Greg […]
Ten Reflections on the Importance of Scripture
I really do love the Bible. It has meant so much to me in both the peaks and the valleys of life. It is like a long standing relationship that just gets better and better with age. I have had the times when the Bible fell open to just the right text at just the […]
Gospel of John 12:20-33 – Greeks Want to See Jesus
The triumphal entry concludes with jealousy from the Pharisees and the statement, “Look how the whole world has gone after him.” (12:19). The very next verse shows how true that statement was. Some Greeks approach Philip and ask to see Jesus. Philip and Andrew ask Jesus if this would be okay and, in typical Jesus […]
The Benefits of Taking a Break from Bible Class Teaching
It is very important for Bible class teachers, even ministers on staff, to have a break from time to time. At least one quarter a year for paid ministers and two quarters a year for those not on staff need to be spent learning from others. For the first time in several years I am […]