A couple of weeks ago, our High School Youth group spent a Wednesday evening looking at what Jesus meant when he said: “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). We thought through the different uses for salt and tried to discern what Jesus might have meant when he used “salt” to refer to […]
I had fun this past Sunday working through the story-line of the Bible in light of the themes and trajectory of the Gospel according to John. If you missed it, you can watch or listen here. When I was at WWC, I learned so much about the story-line of the Old Testament from Mark Jalovick. […]
In Luke 15:3-7, Jesus tells the first in a series of three parables related to things that are lost and the joy that is found in their return: So he told them this parable: ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in […]
Back in October of 2015 I completed my master’s thesis @ Wesley Seminary. It’s one of those things that resides on my computer and sits in the stacks at Indiana Wesleyan University Library, but isn’t easily exposed to the light of day. So I thought I would post some of my thesis’ content. The full thesis […]
source “Almost Christian,” Kenda Creasy Dean, p. 38
Kenda Creasy Dean, in her book, “Almost Christian,” details what most of American religion seems to be centered around: Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. On page 43, Dean uses this quote from C. S. Lewis which seems to indicate that no faith or radical faith are more tenable than moderate faith. Fascinating thoughts on the current religious culture’s slide […]
source “Almost Christian,” Kenda Creasy Dean, p. 33
source “Almost Christian,” Kenda Creasy Dean, p. 1
Share Joseph’s perspective on the birth of Jesus (from Matthew 1:18-23). Dress up in a Bible costume and pretend to be Joseph. Hi. My name is Joseph. You’ve seen me in all the Christmas plays and movies because I am Mary’s husband (Jesus’ mother). But that’s getting ahead of ourselves. I was betrothed to an […]
The fourth chapter of the book Echoes of His Presence is about kingship. Herod was an Edomite, a descendant of Esau, Jacob (Israel’s) brother. Herod ruled Jacob. Rumors of a Messiah born in Bethlehem were doubtful because an Edomite still ruled over Israel. “Hadn’t other self-proclaimed messiahs only brought more bloodshed?” Herod moved from the Herodian to […]
The third chapter of the book Echoes of His Presence is about shepherding. “Lead the sheep along the path you want them to follow… don’t walk on one path while they’re on another. Keep a straight path between you and the sheep. If you don’t, they’ll wander off the edge or into danger.” The market […]
The second chapter of the book Echoes of His Presence is about the bridegroom. It followed a story of a young man who was preparing a home off of his father’s house for his bride. Some amazing connections were made here: The groom’s father paid a generous price to the bride’s father for the loss of […]
The first chapter of the book Echoes of His Presence is about the blood covenant between God and Abraham. When two parties would make a “treaty” they would each slit a goat’s throat and walk barefoot, together, through the spilled blood saying: “I will pay with my life if I break this covenant/promise I am […]
I read an amazing ebook recently called: Discipleship: Empowered by the Holy Spirit The Spirit has to do the work. Apart from the Spirit of Jesus, you can do nothing. I can do nothing. So often I rely on my “skills” or dazzling intellect or strategy rather than the supernatural work of the Spirit. “You’re […]
About a year ago, I taught the parable Jesus shared called the Parable of the Talents found in Mark 12:1-12. During the small group time afterward, I had a phenomenal and productive time with my 8th grade guys! It was neat to see the guys make the connection with a simple story Jesus shared and […]
What was it like for the disciples when they saw Jesus after His resurrection? How do we describe the feeling, emotion, and huge importance and historical significance of this dead man coming back to life? In Main Street, I told a story about being at a funeral all sad and in mourning… someone everyone loved […]
Malcolm Gladwell addresses the biblical story of David and Goliath found in 1 Samuel 17. In large part, biblical interpretation is an imaginative enterprise. The more one can understand and gather information about how the original hearers/readers would have understood both the telling of the event as well the author’s point is helpful for modern […]
Jefferson Bethke did an interview with Tim Keller and asked him: What encourages and discourages you about the millennial generation? Keller shares, “What I see in the younger generation has a positive and negative side… of the same coin.” On the positive side, Keller states: “I’ve never seen a generation so interested in community.” And on […]
Jefferson Bethke did an interview with Tim Keller and asked him: Why is sex outside of marriage so destructive? Keller shares, “Porn is destructive because if sex is like money, then porn is the massive devaluation of the currency. Sex inside of a committed marriage is magic…” So what’s good about faithful, committed, long-term sex in marriage? HT […]
Jefferson Bethke did an interview with Tim Keller and asked him: How does Christianity help us deal with evil and suffering? Keller shares, “Every single culture and every single religion helps its members in some way deal with evil and suffering because everybody is going to experience it.” So what makes Christianity special when it comes […]