Monthly Archives: January 2012

Review: “Eldership in Action: Through Biblical Governance of the Church” by Richard Swartley

Posted on January 31, 2012 by

This book is an extremely valuable addition to the study of pastoral leadership of the church. Where a book such as Strauch’s Biblical Eldership provides the necessary doctrinal foundation of church leadership, Swartley builds on that foundation and gives us … Continue reading →

Posted in church leadership, reviews | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

The psalms: Prayers to God that speak to us

Posted on January 26, 2012 by

The scene is familiar to most of us. We’ve lost someone we care about, so we gather together to share in our grief. At some point, someone may stand and recite these words: The LORD is my shepherd; I have … Continue reading →

Posted in church life, Taking Root, theology | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

Review: “Who Runs the Church?: Four Views on Church Government” edited by Steven Cowan

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

This is a key book for anyone seeking to understand the different views regarding church government. It follows the classic Counterpoints style. Advocates for each of the four positions state their case, and then the other three critique each presentation. … Continue reading →

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Should Christians obey the Ten Commandments?: Christians and the Old Testament law

Posted on January 19, 2012 by

Every now and then in a class or Bible study, someone will emphasize that Christians must faithfully obey the Ten Commandments. Now, part of the job of the teacher is to challenge the people they’re teaching, to get them wrestling … Continue reading →

Posted in church life, cultural interaction, Taking Root, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Acting on Acts: How do we apply Acts to the church today?

Posted on January 12, 2012 by

Last week, we talked about how to read the book of Acts. [Following the story: God and his people, part 2.] We saw that we’re not supposed to model our behavior after everything some biblical character does. We’re careful to … Continue reading →

Posted in church leadership, church life, Taking Root, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Review: “Perspectives on Church Government: Five Views of Church Polity” edited by Chad Owen Brand and R. Stanton Norman

Posted on January 7, 2012 by

If you want to have a deeper understanding of the different views on church leadership, this book will be very useful. Each chapter is written by an author who holds a distinctive view, and then his presentation is critiqued by … Continue reading →

Posted in church leadership, reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Following the story: God and his people, part 2

Posted on January 5, 2012 by

I think the more we learn how to study the Bible, the more we see that doing this well depends largely on common sense. For instance, a few weeks ago, I wrote about how to read the stories in the … Continue reading →

Posted in church life, Taking Root, theology | Tagged , , , , , | 14 Comments

The NIV Controversy, Part 2

Posted on January 4, 2012 by

It sometimes comes as a surprise to students when I quote approvingly from different Bible translations. They seem to think that, since our church uses the NLT, this must be the authoritative text for us. There are definitely churches that … Continue reading →

Posted in church life, church ministry, theology | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments