How Did We Get Here? Competing Theories of Origin
“How did we get here?” This is one of the great questions of life, and its answer sets the direction for so many other answers to great questions. If we are descended from animals, then are we not justified in living as animals? If we are generated merely by...
Communicating Biblical Worldview to Millennials and iGens: Taste and See Apologetics
COMMUNICATING BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW TO MILLENNIALS AND IGENS: TASTE AND SEE APOLOGETICS[1] Christopher Cone, Th.D, Ph.D, Ph.D Biblical Models for Communicating Truth to the Unversed Peter provides the only direct apologetic mandate in Scripture,[2] reminding his readers...
Gifted By The Holy Spirit, Gifted With the Holy Spirit (Slides)
At the 2017 IFCA Cultivate Conference in Kansas City, Missouri, Dr. Cone considers the Holy Spirit, how He works in the believer's life, and expectations for the believer's walk. [gview...
“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 Interconnectedness of Philosophy, Theology, and Worldview
A worldview is the perspective through which one views the world. By definition, a Biblical worldview is derived exegetically from the pages of the Bible. Philosophy and theology have long been perceived as rivals in worldview, but if we define those terms lexically...
The Disappearing Middle Class in Christian Higher Education
According to ABHE’s 2015 statistical report,[1] out of roughly 140 universities and colleges who have any official reported status with ABHE, there are only 5 non-denominational Bible colleges with attendance over 320[2] students (including undergraduate and graduate...
Overview of Ecclesiastes (Slides)
Having been a historic experimenter, Solomon writes the conclusion to his philosophical journey in Ecclesiastes. He describes the advantages and disadvantages of a number of different worldviews "under the sun," and he concludes that the beyond-the-sun perspective...
“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
Intro to Communicating Basic Biblical Truth (Slides)
In a Calvary University assembly on 2/20/2017, Dr. Christopher Cone discusses some straightforward principles about communicating Biblical truth, including: who should communicate Biblical truth, why it is so important, what is the content of good Biblical...
Introduction to the Canon of Scripture and Textual Criticism (Slides)
Dr. Christopher Cone introduces the Biblical canon, considering (1) internal textual evidence for the inclusion of the books of the Old and New Testaments, (2) historical factors which provide external affirmation that the texts of the Hebrew Bible and the Greek New...
Epistemological Foundations of a Biblical Theology
Dr. Christopher Cone addresses the source of authority and how one interprets that authority in their worldview. Alternate title: "Bob's Crazy Day With the Dandelions." Presented to the Chafer Theological Seminary Conference in Houston Texas, Spring, 2014....
“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)
New Book Announcement: Life Beyond the Sun: Worldview and Philosophy Through the Lens of Ecclesiastes, 2nd Edition
Opening at #3, and the #1 paperback on Amazon's Hot New Releases in its category, from Exegetica Publishing is a new book by Dr. Christopher Cone – Life Beyond the Sun: Worldview and Philosophy Through the Lens of Ecclesiastes, 2nd Edition. ISBN#: 978-0998280509...
Three Great Questions of Worldview and a Method for Addressing Them
Five tools, three questions, two challenges, one ultimate source of truth… FIVE INITIAL TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL As we seek to discover, we observe that we possess basic tools useful for processing information: reason, the senses, emotion, desire/will, and...
Biblical Patterns for Revitalization and Outreach (Slides)
What is the church? Why does it matter? How are people thinking about the relevance of the church in their lives? How should local churches respond? These are core questions not just for pastors, but for all Christians. Biblical Patterns for Revitalization and...
Biblical Patterns for Pastoral Discipleship (Slides)
Presented in two sessions to the Central Illinois Regional Conference, Sutter, IL. In the first, we examine the basics of discipleship and the role of pastors in that process, and in the second we look at a 36-week programmatic outline for discipling. Part 1 [gview...
Haggai’s Call to Finish What Was Started (Slides)
The returned exiles from the Babylonian Captivity had begun an important task, but opposition got them off course, and they soon forgot what God commissioned them to do. Haggai's challenge to them reminds us that we need fear no opposition in fulfilling the tasks God...
The Greek Particle (Slides)
No If's, And's or But's (Unless You Actually Want to Understand the Bible) – presented to the Beth Haven Conference, Saturday, November 12, 2016.
10 New Testament Evidences for the Divinity of Jesus Christ
#1: The Word John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.“ Jesus was in the beginning (He had no beginning), He was with God, and He was God. The grammatical structure of the passage supports the idea that Jesus was the...
Interview with Grace Theology Press
Christopher Cone interviewed by Todd Mathis of Grace Theology Press, November 2015: Tell our audience a little about your ministry. I serve in a few different roles. I am at Southern California Seminary (which is connected to Shadow Mountain Community Church...
An Election Day Reminder: Balancing the Present and Future
Election Day gives us a sense that we can have some influence over world events. As world events remind us of the frailty of society and of our own lives, attentions are easily drawn to the future. But our attention should not be drawn simply to the great big things...
The Church at Ephesus as a Case Study in Safeguarding the Institution From Worldview Drift
Presented to the TRACS National Conference, Dallas, TX, October 29, 2015 [gview...