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 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 Peter Principles: Peter’s Formula for Using “Spiritual” Gifts
Peter presents the purpose of the gift and the employment of the gift in 4:11b: “so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Again, this is very simple. The purpose is theocentric and doxological – centered on Him and for His glory. Peter’s principles, then, for gifts are as follows…
A Recommended Biblical Statement on Gender, Sexuality, and Marriage
From evolving societal perceptions of gender and sexuality and from newly adjusted legal definitions of marriage emanating from SCOTUS emerge significant complications for churches and other faith-based organizations. As a result, there has recently been a wave...
How to Measure Pastoral Success
For some unidentifiable reason I enjoy tormenting students with an important albeit slippery theological and philosophical question. What is good? As you might imagine, the answers I get are quite diverse. One student recently responded by citing an online dictionary...
“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
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...
“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)
Eternal Security and Christian Ethics
Practice is from position, but never to position. The ethical mandates of the New Testament are decisively clear that believers are to walk in the richness of the position we have been given (Eph1:3), and that the position is actually necessary for the walk (Heb...
10 Reasons to Study the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)
Ephesians 2:14-16 describes in some detail how Jesus Christ fulfilled the Mosaic Law. Further, we discover that God’s righteousness is revealed outside of the Law (Rom 3:21), that justification comes from faith not works of law (Rom 3:28), and that the growth of the...
New Book Announcement: Integrating Exegesis and Exposition
Available now, from Exegetica Publishing, is a new book by Dr. Christopher Cone – Integrating Exegesis and Exposition: Biblical Communication for Transformative Learning. ISBN# 978-0-9765930-5-8 / 302 pages / Retail:$23 / Available at Amazon and Other Fine Retailers....
The Genesis Account as Early Model for Scriptural Hermeneutics
Presented to the Symposium on Scripture, Hermeneutics, and Language, San Diego State University, April 13, 2015. "...From the opening of Genesis to its conclusion, the book records roughly two thousand years of history. Further, Genesis alleges that these two thousand...
Three Days That Changed Everything
A man named Jesus hung on a cross. To that point this man had endured the rejection of his people, arrest on false pretenses, an illegal trial in which he was falsely accused, beaten and abused, and ultimately condemned to die because of the spiritual arrogance of his...
Priority in Communicating to Mixed Audiences in a Church Setting
In any number of settings, a Bible communicator will not be aware of the spiritual/positional status of the listeners. In fact, only the Lord has the capacity to truly understand what is in the heart of man (1 Cor 4:5). Consequently, while we do observe a clear...
Congressman Frank Wolf Challenges Christian Leaders to Action on Global Persecution
Below is a letter by Virginia Congressman, Frank Wolf, from earlier this year. In his letter, Wolf calls upon Christian leaders to speak out about the increasingly global persecution of Christians. It is even more relevant now than the day it was published: Dear...
How to Fail Well: A Warning to Pastors
As I stand in front of students at the beginning of a pastoral class, I write on a whiteboard four words in no particular order: children, God, church, and wife. I ask them a simple question: “Are any of you perfect?” My absurd question is met with the smirks and...
Forgiveness, Righteousness, and a New Walk
Our new position in Christ does not just include the removal of debits (forgiveness, Acts 10:43, Rom 4:7, Eph 1:7, Col 1:14, 1 Jn 1:9), but also the addition of credits (the righteousness of Christ, Rom 1:7, 3:22, 4:3-5, 5:17-19, 2 Cor 5:21). Both are required for a...
Where Does the Seminary Fit in Relation to the Local Church?
This article discusses the relationship of the seminary to the local church. Specifically it argues for tangible recognition on the part of seminaries that the local church is the Biblically designed co-center (along with the family) of Biblical education. I advocate...