Category Archives: theology

What good is a dead Messiah?

Posted on March 8, 2013 by

How the first century Jews understood the Messiah and resurrection When we consider the resurrection of Jesus, usually two competing viewpoints come immediately to mind: either Jesus rose from the dead, or he did not. That makes sense. But there’s … Continue reading →

Posted in cultural interaction, historical Jesus, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

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

What do we do with difficult Scripture passages?

Posted on May 24, 2012 by

I could tell he was reluctant to ask his question, but I encouraged him that any sincere question was welcome. He seemed shocked at himself for actually expressing his doubt aloud, but he blurted out anyway: “I just don’t understand … Continue reading →

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Why we can trust the Bible

Posted on May 17, 2012 by

If I asked you, “Why do you believe the Bible?” some of you might respond by sharing your personal experiences, how the Holy Spirit confirmed the truth of God’s Word within your spirit. You might describe how he helped you … Continue reading →

Posted in authority of Scripture, cultural interaction, theology | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

A matter of faith: Believing the Bible

Posted on April 26, 2012 by

Our church’s study time is interactive. I often ask for a response from the people, and they can raise their hands and ask questions during the teaching. This past Sunday, the interaction got a little more intense than usual. There … Continue reading →

Posted in authority of Scripture, theology | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Me and Jesus: Must Christians “go to church”?

Posted on April 20, 2012 by

I want you to meet Sally. Sally is a Christian. She’s placed her faith in Jesus Christ. She prays regularly and reads her Bible. But Sally doesn’t go to church. She interacts with other Christians on Facebook, and occasionally she’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in church life, theology | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Do we have to be baptized to be saved?

Posted on April 12, 2012 by

Let’s start this week with a couple of questions: When Jesus taught the importance of putting new wine into new wineskins [Matthew 9:17], was he mostly concerned with preserving literal wine? When Jesus told Peter and Andrew, “Come, follow me, … Continue reading →

Posted in baptism, church life, theology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments