9 Steps for Bible Exegesis and Exposition, Step #7: Identify Theological Context
In Step #6, we considered Biblical context, examining contexts on the basis of immediate and near textual proximity. In Step #7, our concern is theological context – a contextual consideration of theologically (topically) similar passages. The goal here is not to...
Coniah’s Judgment: Did The Grinch Steal Christmas?
In order to fulfill Biblical prophecy, the Messiah had to come from the seed of David. He had to be of the tribe of Judah, in the line of Solomon, yet he could not be of the seed of Coniah, whom (because of a litany of evils) God essentially removed from the royal...
Why I Said “No” to Ghostwriting
Once upon a time, early on in my academic and writing career, I was invited to ghostwrite for a best-selling author (who shall remain anonymous). I recall my initial shock at the request, because in my naïveté I had no idea that there was any such thing as a...
“The most effective leadership, management, and efficiency models share traits common with each other, and traits that are ultimately traceable to the pages of the Bible. While these models are often not intentionally rooted in Biblical concepts by those that promote the models, the models illustrate how applying Biblical principles can set a trajectory of success in enterprise and in life. Led By a Lion is designed to introduce some of these leadership, management, and efficiency models, but goes a step further in identifying the Biblical genesis of many of the core traits that fuel the success of these models.”
The Hermeneutic Roots of Our Soteriological Crisis
What is the root cause of soteriological controversy? Hermeneutics and theological method are major factors.
Amos Overview
A downloadable synthetic overview of the Book of Amos.
9 Steps for Bible Exegesis and Exposition, Step #6: Identify Biblical Context
After completing the detailed grammatical, syntactical and lexical analysis, we need to step back and refocus to the bird’s eye perspective and so some synthesizing. First, we need to identify the overall theme of the book, but by completing the first steps in the...
“This approach has the advantage of seeking to view all knowledge through the lens of Scripture, and to subject all knowledge to the authority of Scripture. It encourages science and research within the field of psychology. It offers a Biblical balance of description and prescription. Of course, if the Bible is unreliable, then the refractive power of Scripture is distortive rather than corrective, but the epistemological premise of this approach is that God’s word is authoritative and sufficient for our understanding, for our equipping, and for our practice. There are many extra-biblical resources that we can employ, but in seeking out how and when to do that, we mustn’t lose sight of the one reliable constant that God has provided for us – the Bible.” –Chapter 9
7 Core Values for Effective Life and Ministry
#1 The Supremacy of His Glory It’s simple: It is all about Him, end of story. Ephesians 1 illustrates how Father (1:6), Son (1:12), and Holy Spirit (1:14) each work together for the glory of God. His activities serve His own purpose of expressing His character,...
Modeling Thanksgiving
What can we learn from Paul’s prayers of thanksgiving?
Obadiah Overview
A downloadable synthetic overview of the Book of Obadiah.
“The Green Tree is an exceptional work…provides a vital tool for every Bible interpreter…Just as the root system is the foundation of a tree and directly impacts the health of a tree, hermeneutic method is at the root of one’s worldview. This illustration demonstrates that the hermeneutic method that an interpreter of the Bible employs will significantly affect the outcome. The tree will either be healthy, or it will not be healthy…The authors provide a unique examination of Revelation, Genesis, and Job that demonstrates that the LGH hermeneutic is derived from within Scripture, something that other hermeneutical methods fail to demonstrate. This is perhaps the most crucial principle demonstrated in The Green Tree, and it effectively demonstrates that the LGH hermeneutic is also the Biblical hermeneutic.” – Andrew Friend (Amazon Review)
A Friend at Home
On Saturday, November 2, 2013 a friend and student of mine abruptly made his journey to meet the Lord. While none of us knows how much time we have in His service here, the unexpected death of a loved one is always jarring and difficult. I know Ray Woody’s family is...
Is that a Loofah? It’s a Quee-no!
In a surprisingly highbrow stroke of illustrative humor (I wonder how many of the target audience actually knows how to pronounce quinoa), Bud Light has capitalized on a very interesting aspect of our psyche. The series of commercials that this particular ad belongs...
Resisting The Three Enemies of the Christian
Every believer has three opponents who are constantly trying to derail our walk with Christ. Ephesians 2:1-3 identifies them by name. The first enemy is the course (or age) of this world. That is, the world system itself, and not the people in the world (Eph 6:12)....
If It’s Worth Doing, It’s Worth Doing…Poorly
A wise man once told me “If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly.” Though I cannot recall the context of the conversation, I have never forgotten those words. They serve as a lasting reminder to me not to trade good for excellent. Sometimes we can get so caught...
The Hermeneutics of Continuationism, Part 3
More recently, John MacArthur has been a leading advocate for cessationism. MacArthur’s Charismatic Chaos attempts a Biblical response to the charismatic movement, and succeeds more than most. Like Chafer, MacArthur begins his defense of a closed canon by appealing to...
The Hermeneutics of Continuationism, Part 2
Premise 4: An explanation for the soteriological similarities is found centrally in the shared methodology of appealing to TR authorities (as illustrated by MacArthur and Piper). Self-identified leaky dispensationalist, John MacArthur pursued clarification in the...
Christianity & the Academy: When Faith Goes to College, What Comes Home?
Presented to UNT Christian Grads, April 13, 2012 The Barna Group indicates that only 20% of young adults maintain a level of spiritual activity consistent with that of their high-school years.[1] If this study may be used to predict, only one in five who were...
Can I Be Spiritual If I Still Have My Own Teeth? A Review of Francis Chan’s Crazy Love
I don’t often review books, but occasionally a title will capture the imagination of the evangelical world, and will find itself elevated to Sunday-morning-text status. I am not sure why, but it still surprises me that churches which typically speak of the sufficiency...
Personal Eschatology: The Believer’s Life Charted
Here is a fun chart for studying what's in store for believers... (click the link). Personal Eschatology
The Resurrection of Jesus, Historical Method and the Genre of the Gospels: Considering Michael Licona’s Historiographical Approach
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of three major components of the Gospel, described by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “…that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the...