The Auschwitz Legacy and the (Non) Advancement of Man
I was invited to speak at a conference in Poland recently (on Biblical hermeneutics and theological method, in case you were curious), and while there I had an opportunity to visit Auschwitz. I am not much of a tourist or a sightseer, but there are just some things...
Planned Parenthood Issues Symptomatic of Deep-Seated Problem
During the fiscal years of 2009-2014 alone, Planned Parenthood performed 1,650,024 abortions.[1] In the same five years, Planned Parenthood provided more than twice as many breast exams (3,254,136)[2] as abortions – along with a host of other services related...
10 Reasons Market Meltdowns Not Cause for Panic
Today is not looking like it will be an encouraging day for financial markets around the world, and predictably this news cycle will probably be dominated by ominous financial news. This is a difficult time for many, but doesn’t need to be cause for hopelessness or...
“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 Shall We Then Live: The Christian’s Constant Choice Between Two Paths
In a section of Paul’s Letter to the Galatians explaining how Christians should handle the freedom they have in Christ, there is a very practical contrast of two modes of life: walking by the Spirit and walking according to the flesh. Paul introduces the...
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in Christ
While the Holy Spirit has an incredible ministry directly to believers, that is certainly not His only role. Before the Spirit’s present ministry in the church, He also interacted with Christ in several profound ways. As we understand the relationship of Christ and...
The Role of the Holy Spirit in Our Understanding of Scripture
The theological term most commonly used by theologians to express the role of the Holy Spirit in Biblical understanding is illumination. While the term isn’t directly used of the Holy Spirit, the concept is present, for example in John 1:5 and 1:9, “The Light shines...
“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
Radio (KPRZ) Interview with David Spoon about sandiegofellowship.org
Radio interview with the David Spoon Experience (KPRZ) on the launch of SDF, the importance of having a church home, and the difference between making meals and bringing people into the kitchen.
Considering Whether the Revelatory Functions in 1 Corinthians 13 Have Already Ceased or Not
Presented to the SCS Faculty Symposium on the Holy Spirit and Spiritual Gifts, July 27, 2015 Introduction While not the only passage on the topic, 1 Corinthians 13 is a pivotal context on the issue of whether or not the revelatory gifts continue for the...
A Brief Introduction to Philosophical Inquiry and Components of Worldview, Part 1: Addressing the Epistemological Questions
There are four major areas of philosophical inquiry that make up the basic components of worldview: epistemology, metaphysics, ethics, and socio-political philosophy. Epistemology (the study of knowledge) addresses the question of how can know what is true and what is...
“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)
Why Am I Planting a Church in San Diego?
After much prayerful labor by many people, on July 25, 2015, as God allows, San Diego Fellowship of the Bible (SDF, for short) will launch. But why and with what distinctives? One characteristic shared by many areas in the United States is the number of local...
Some Definitions Related to God’s Program and Administration
Understanding the Biblical usage of terms such as dispensation, covenant, and kingdom of God can go a long way in helping is recognize what God's big picture is, and how He intends to fill in the details. Let's take a look at some definitions and explanations of these...
Israel and the Church: Are We Not All Descendants of Abraham?
Galatians 3:29 explains that, “if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” The passage leads some to conclude that those who are in Christ are ultimately grafted into Israel, and receive the covenant blessings promised to...
Reader Review: Integrating Exegesis and Exposition
by Greg Perry – Integrating Exegesis and Exposition was an unexpected pleasure for me. Literally, while reading the first page of the first chapter, a sentence struck me as extraordinary insight into Scripture so I stopped right there on the first page and went to...
The Plurality Principle: How Many Pastors Does it Take to Change a Lightbulb?
The Grounding of Monocratic Leadership Just as the people of Israel could not stand to be without Moses for even forty days, so the church has allowed itself to become dependent on icons and to fall prey to the cult of personality. It seems that Israel, failing to...
Biblical Ethics For Those Who Don’t Believe
The perception that the Bible is simply a collection of do’s and don’ts is not new, and is a conclusion easily drawn by those who haven’t actually read the Bible. But an attentive reading of the Bible helps us understand quite a bit about who God is and what He...
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...