Category Archives: biblical interpretation

Review: “Pastoral Ministry according to Paul: A Biblical Vision” by James Thompson

Posted on December 12, 2012 by

Many will pick up this volume expecting an entirely different book. Despite the title, there is nothing here regarding church elders, the appointment of leaders, church planting strategies, the role of the congregation in making decisions, etc. Any discussion of … Continue reading →

Posted in biblical interpretation, church life, reviews, theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Revelation: The story comes full circle

Posted on February 24, 2012 by

We often refer to being ‘fed’ by God’s Word. You could even think of the various biblical genres as different kinds of food. To me, the letters to the churches are like a thick, juicy steak, something you can really … Continue reading →

Posted in biblical interpretation, eschatology, theology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The prophets: God’s messengers, calling his people back

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

So, you decided to read the Bible straight through from the beginning. [This isn’t the only way to read it, or necessarily the best. But for some reason we all seem drawn to read Scripture this way from time to … Continue reading →

Posted in biblical interpretation, eschatology, theology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Walking with the wise: Learning from the Bible’s poetic wisdom

Posted on February 2, 2012 by

Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20  Sounds like good advice, doesn’t it? Thankfully, the Bible provides a number of books that we refer to as ‘wisdom literature.’ Last week, we … Continue reading →

Posted in biblical interpretation, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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 biblical interpretation, theology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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 biblical interpretation, church life, cultural interaction, Old Testament Law, theology | Tagged , , , , , | 36 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 biblical interpretation, church life, elders/pastors, spiritual gifts, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments