The Rise of Philosophy and Conflict With Theology
(An excerpt from Life Beyond the Sun: An Introduction to Worldview and Philosophy Through the Lens of Ecclesiastes) – Despite assertions that “any conflict between philosophy and theology must be apparent rather than real, the result of a misunderstanding,”[i]...
How to Choose an English Bible Translation, Part 2
In the previous article, we introduced some significant aspects to consider when deciding on an English translation for Bible study (formal versus dynamic equivalence, and transparency in the source material used, for example). While no translation can equal the value...
The Magnificent Seven: Formats for Communicating Biblical Content (PPT)
Presented to the first annual Calvary International Pastors' Conference on April 22, 2016. The Magnificent Seven (a reimagining of Seven Samurai) tells the story of seven men who were unspectacular as individuals, but who together had the power to change lives. It is...
“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.”
How to Choose an English Bible Translation, Part 1
What a blessing it is to have many English Bible translations from which to choose. Not too long ago there were none, and attempts to translate the Bible into English were met with severe persecution (read about William Tyndale, for example). So when we are faced with...
Seeking Excellence? Don’t Start With “Why, Start With “Who”
In seeking to identify the seeds of excellence, there is a popular device (the Golden Circle) that traces the beginnings of excellence back to the question Why? In this model, we could critique a more common alternative of beginning with the outcome (the What) and...
The Parables of Jesus as Metaphor: Considering the Mustard Seed of Matthew 13:31-32
In considering the parables of Jesus, there are a few contextual concepts we need to understand about Jesus’ presentations in Matthew’s Gospel. First, after Jesus was rejected in Matthew 12 He spoke in public often using parables. His purpose in doing so was...
“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
Does the Biblical God Exist?
A brief examination of Scripture will unveil, in particular, the central assumption of the existence of God (Gen. 1:1, Ps. 14:1, etc.). Never does Scripture seek to prove His existence; rather it presents His reality as the foundational starting point of Biblical...
The Central Question of Christianity: Is Jesus Still Dead?
Whether or not Jesus rose from the dead is perhaps the most important question in determining the truth of Biblical Christianity. As Paul put it, “if Christ has not been raised from the dead…then your faith also is vain” (1 Cor 15:14). He adds that if Jesus hasn’t...
SWOT Analysis, the Bible, and Personal Growth
SWOT is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The analytical tool has been in use for around fifty years, and while some attribute the origin of the SWOT analysis to Stanford Research Institute’s Albert Humphrey, because he doesn’t take...
“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)
Sovereignty of God and Human Responsibility: Nehemiah and the Daniel 9 Prophecy
Daniel 9:24-27 is a monumental passage, emblematic of God’s sovereignty over human events. It provides the chronological skeletal system of Biblical prophecy, recording Gabriel’s revelation to Daniel in around 516 B.C., of a 490-year timeline for Israel’s future: “for...
A Brief Introduction to Philosophical Inquiry and Components of Worldview, Part 2: Science and Justifying Presuppositions
Epistemological inquiry is the first step in developing a worldview. Determining how we can know with certainty is a necessary exercise, and requires that we identify the source of authority upon which the worldview is grounded. For example, Hume’s empiricism...
Dealing With Loss: A Hero Named Larry
I have always appreciated the old hymn “It is Well With My Soul.” The melody is hauntingly beautiful. The words are especially touching, as they were written while Spafford was crossing the Atlantic when he was near the place where his four daughters died after the...
Review of Integrating Exegesis and Exposition, by Rubén de Rus
By Rubén de Rus, published at Resources for Ministry/Recursos Ministeriales. There are many books in the Christian market that cover exegetical issues and many others that cover biblical exposition. But there are few books in the market that provide readers with a...
The Impact of Redacted Dominionism on Birth Control and Killing Animals
The common interpretation that the Genesis creation account grants humankind a lasting and comprehensive dominion over creation has been critiqued as being destructively man-centered.[1] To such critics anthropocentrism seems not to offer much promise for a positive,...
The Daniel 9 Prophetic Calendar
Daniel chapter nine finds Daniel examining the prophet Jeremiah’s declarations of a seventy-year exile (Jer. 25:14, 29:10), and responding humbly to the Lord in prayer, as the time of the exile was drawing to a close. The personal humility that Daniel demonstrates in...
Why I am Not a Calvinist…Or an Arminian (Synopsis)
Presented to the Free Grace Alliance, National Conference, October 15, 2014 Introduction While we often desire to align with particular historical theological views, it is usually the case that historical perspectives are not fully adequate in explaining the...
An Interview on the State of Contemporary Dispensationalism
Interview conducted 10/07/2014 by Adrian Isaacs, M.Rel., Th.D (Cand.), for dissertation research at Wycliffe College, University of Toronto. Isaacs: In your estimation, how would you describe the current level of scholarly, academic discussion regarding...
A Biblical Response to Difficulty in Life
Trials are inevitable. Every now and then we get a break, but in many ways life is a daily challenge. How does the Bible prescribe that we deal with these difficulties? James 1:2-4 exhorts believers to consider it all joy when we go through various kinds of...
Biblically Derived Premillennialism as a Necessary Condition for a Biblical Socio-Political Model
Presented to the Council on Dispensational Hermeneutics, 9/17/2014 at Calvary Bible College and Theological Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri. Dispensationalists have been accused of, among other things,[1] being pessimistic (as by Marsden and Bube)[2] and anti-semitic...