Audio “Reliability of the Christian Canon”
The audio from our evening with Dr. Michael Goheen on ‘The Reliability of the Christian Canon” is now available. Is the Bible reliable? Does its reliability stand or fall upon the decisions of church...
View ArticleWhy Beliefs Are not Enough
Much of our action is not “pushed” by ideas or conclusions; rather, it grows out of our character and is in a sense “pulled” out of us by our attraction to a telos. If we…are going to be “prime...
View ArticleReading the Bible with Jesus
I am teaching Christ-centered Interpretation: Reading the Whole Bible with Jesus for for the third time in our church’s short history. I never weary of this course. It sharpens my interpretive skills,...
View ArticleHow I Prepare a Sermon
It was a lot of fun to sit down with my friend John Chandler & SermonSmith as we discussed how I go about preparing sermons. In the interview, I kind of sound like I just smoked a joint (although I...
View ArticleBooks I’m Currently Using in Ministry
Here are a few books I am using in ministry this Fall. They are all good books but the * indicates an exceptional book: Hermeneutics Class Biblical Theology in the Life of the Church How to Read the...
View ArticleReading the Whole Bible with Jesus
Reading the Bible can be confusing, intimidating, and difficult. But it doesn’t have to be. I remember the first time I took a hermeneutics (interpretation) course. I was blown away. It was staggering...
View ArticleDo Sovereignty of God & Free Will Fit Together?
Philip K. Dick was arguably the most influential science fiction writer of the late twentieth century. Several of his works, adapted as screenplays, explore the concept of free will. In Blade Runner we...
View ArticleNew Book & Cover Art
I am very excited about this book. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the largely neglected–yet essential–“other half” of the gospel. While it is true that “if Christ is not raised, we are still in...
View ArticleFree Will & World Religions
Two apologetic articles I wrote happened to be published this week, one on free will/sovereignty of God and one on the question of religious pluralism (which is a reprint). This certainly isn’t on the...
View ArticleThe Doubt of Ten Thousand Choices
Sometimes doubt is generated not by a deliberate philosophical and systemic moral choice but by ten thousand atomistic choices. A man may begin his adult life with full, Christian convictions, worked...
View ArticleReading on the Incarnation
Working through our Coming of God series for Advent, I’ve been reading a number of books on the incarnation. Two books, in particular, have been scintillating, along with an essay by Princeton...
View ArticleHow to Be a Good Dad (& What to Do with a Bad Dad)
Father’s Day–some are grateful it’s just one day. There are many fathers who have heaped unbearable burdens upon their children with unrealistic demands. To you, this day reminds you of failure, not...
View ArticleInteresting Books I’m Reading this Month
Summer lists are rolling out, so I thought I’d throw out some titles I’m enjoying this month. Last week, I posted books on 1 Corinthians, so I won’t relist those here. Original Sin This is a cultural...
View Article5 Standout Books on the Incarnation
Although I didn’t grow up observing Advent, we instituted the tradition at City Life when we planted the church in 2008. Year after year, I marvel at depth, promise, wonder, complexity of the notion...
View ArticleWe’re All Great Abbreviators
I’ve just finished writing a study guide for three of the craziest letters in the New Testament–1, 2 Peter & Jude. The letters cover stuff like: angels sleeping with humans, gang rape,...
View Article5 Ways Seminary Equipped Me for Ministry
1 Biblical Epistemology – My prolegomena helped me grasp how a Biblical worldview in intellectually credible. The writings of John Frame and N.T Wright on critical realism helped me grasp a way of...
View ArticleAction After the Sermon
It’s easy to go to a church gathering. It’s easy to sit and listen to a thirty to forty minute sermon. It’s easy to take communion and receive forgiveness for our sins. What’s hard is valuing all of...
View ArticleSessions from The Mission of God (Dublin)
This summer I had the privilege of serving pastors in Ireland. The theme of the conference was The Mission of God. Dr. Tim Ward also gave two helpful lectures on preaching and application, with some...
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