The Best Thing to Do When You’re Stuck in Doubt

Michael Kelley:

Were these words of sadness, redirected to verbalize a lack of faith, but more honestly expressing a deep sadness for his absence?

We don’t know. What we do know, though, is that these are definite words. They’re words of resolution: “I. Will. NEVER. Believe.” Thomas had made up his mind, and whether that was motivated by insecurity, anger, or sadness, he was resolute. He would not be caught up in the foolishness that was before him. I mean, come on – Jesus? Back from the dead? It was ridiculous after all. But here’s the striking thing to me about this passage.

What Is the “Abomination of Desolation”?

Brandon Smith:

On a recent episode of Word Matters, Trevin Wax and I discussed Jesus’s warning of a future “abomination of desolation.” This passage gets some of the end-times chart junkies’ wheels spinning. And it’s actually a passage that someone brought up to me when I was teaching at my local church recently, so I thought it’d be worth addressing on the podcast, because I know others have wondered about it.

6 Questions You Should Be Asking Those You Lead

Eric Geiger:

Great leaders ask great questions. Great leaders ask questions to learn but also to encourage those they lead to think strategically. Below are six questions leaders should be asking those they lead. They may not show up in a meeting agenda or on a questionnaire, but wise leaders are continually asking those they lead these types of questions.

3 Ways the Gospel Might Divide a Church

Jared Wilson:

Well, the same gospel that by its nature unifies also tends to divide. We don’t usually expect this kind of division in a local church —we are typically otherwise fearful about conflict arising from music styles, programming choices, and personality types—but the gospel can divide a church just as easily as it might a family. But actually there’s nothing more prone to stirring up mess than the grace of God that has arrived to create order.

Whenever the gospel is faithfully preached, people get poked in the idols. And people don’t like that.

Parenting Is Like Jazz

William Smith:

Now, don’t misunderstand me. Scripture has lots of things to teach about raising children. Numerous principles are communicated implicitly and explicitly. Nevertheless, there’s an entire genre of Scripture devoted to wisdom, and it insists wise things cease to be effective when you misuse them: “​Like the useless legs of one who is lame is a proverb in the mouth of a fool” (Prov. 26:7). You can know all the right things to do, but they’ll be utterly useless if you apply them in ways God didn’t intend.

Like looking for the one right way to approach your kids.

How to thrive as a ministry family when tragedy strikes

Jill Waggoner:

For those who serve in ministry, tragedies cannot be avoided. Although a devastating event may not be personally affecting, it strikes at your heart and mind, and in the overflow, it strikes your home. When others have experienced a personal loss, the sufferings within a minister’s home may be overlooked during a time of crisis, and rightly so. However, that does not diminish the difficulty of the days you are experiencing.

As we weather this current storm, we are clinging to these life-giving truths in order to minister well and take care of our own bodies and souls. I pray this provides you encouragement in whatever you may be facing.

5 random thoughts on my first day of work

A favorite from the archives (in honor of my one-year anniversary at LifeWay):

Today is the big day: my first day at my new job. Lord willing, by the end of the day, I’ll have a fancy name badge and everything. I’ve spent the last week and a half getting settled into our new town and apartment, doing paperwork, and trying to do everything I could to be ready to start work today.

Now “today” is here, and my head is spinning. Here’s a look at what’s going through my mind right now as I take this next step.

The post Links I like (8/01) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

The New/Old Way Our Culture Pressures Us To Conform

Tim Challies:

Every culture has certain standards that distinguish good and respectable people from the bad and disreputable people. Every culture has ways of compelling people to adhere to its standards. Some force adherence through guilt, some through fear, and some through shame.

Children’s Ministry is NOT a Game!

Juan Sanchez:

Since children’s ministry is a serious endeavor, we must carefully consider how to minister to and reach children. As one pastor says, “what we win them with is what we win them to.” Though there is much more that could be said, consider with me five ways to strengthen our children’s ministries to better reflect a biblical view of parenting and of children.

The Canon of Scripture: Why It Is Trustworthy and True

Kaitlyn Wright:

My son just turned three and is in the stage of life where his response to everything I say is “why?”. Sometimes I have patience and calmly explain something for the hundredth time, yet other times my patience wears thin and my response is “because, buddy, that’s just how it is”. I remember feeling this way when trying to explain why I believe the Bible to an unbelieving friend. She asked, ‘why, why, why?’ and I didn’t have any concrete answers other than ‘I just believe.’ In 1 Peter 3:15, Christians are called to give a defense for the hope that is in us, and to obey this exhortation we must study why we believe what we believe.

There are many helpful resources on the Canon of Scripture, and I hope you join me in using this brief article to kick start your study of why Christians believe the canon was divinely authored and therefore is completely trustworthy.

Your Inner Pharisee

Josh Moody:

In a strict historical sense, Christians are not Pharisees. Pharisaic religion rejected Jesus as the Christ, and therefore when someone worships him as God’s Son, he is no longer a Pharisee.

But is there an essence of Pharisaism alive today, even active within creeds that embrace the divinity of Jesus, the doctrines of grace, and Trinitarian orthodoxy? If we leave aside the doctrinal and historical elements of Pharisaism, the following six areas of examination might expose our own inner Pharisee.

How to talk to your kids about North Korea

This is helpful.

Writing Is a Terrible God

Brandon Smith:

My advice: beware of the allure of writing. Don’t allow Satan to make you think that just one popular blogpost, one book, or one article will validate your identity. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that whatever work God has for you is lesser than another. A small few write for a living, but most even prolific authors have other jobs. The glamorous life of writing all day, every day is like the apple in the Garden, promising something it can’t actually deliver.

What loving our enemies looks like

A favorite from the archives:

And yet, people do deny Him. Thousands of people die every day clinging to this rejection of God… Thousands live every day clinging to it, and embracing its fruit with abandon. Idolatry, foolish thinking, sexual immorality, gossip and slander, disobedience to parents—evil of all sorts and kinds. For these, who are haters and enemies of God, only one thing awaits them at the end: the unrestrained wrath of God.

And even as we know this truth, that punishment awaits, we are also called to love the lost, to love our enemies. So what is one of the most important ways for us to love them?

The post Weekend reading (8/12) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

One of my favorite books of the Bible is Colossians. Every time I read it, I’m overwhelmed. Paul was dealing with a peculiar bit of false teaching in Colossians, a synthesis of Jewish and pagan folk belief. What some scholars believe happened at Colossae was that a shaman-like figure was presenting himself as a Christian spiritual guide; a mystic likely claiming to have superior insight into the spiritual realm and therefore advising the Christians there to perform certain rites and rituals to protect themselves from evil spirits and for their deliverance from affliction:

• To practice asceticism; to deny themselves certain food or drink.
• To practice the Jewish festivals and the Sabbath.
• To worship angels.
• To experience visions of spiritual things.

This false teacher judged the believers for not practicing these things. His judgment, of course, only served one purpose: to puff himself up. To show that salvation could be attained through man-made effort and ecstatic experience, which is a problem that still exists today, and still masquerades as Christianity.

Charlatans pose as men of God. Instead of pointing men and women to Jesus, they put on big shows about how they punched demons out of people, or visited Paul’s cottage in the third heaven. What’s worse is they draw a crowd as they pour gasoline on the fire that burns in our hearts. Our desire to focus on ourselves. To be the masters of our own destinies. To be our own gods.

False teachers all repeat the same lie Satan told Adam and Eve in the garden (Gen. 3), and we keep believing it. So sometimes we’ll deprive ourselves physically, or we indulge ourselves in all sorts of excess. We will whip ourselves up into a sort of spiritual frenzy. And for what? Ultimately, nothing.

But Paul gives us these words to counteract this. “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things” (Col. 3:1-2).

In Christ, we don’t have to look to the things of the world, or to ourselves, for hope. We look to Christ. We pursue him. We seek to live like and for him, as we seek first the kingdom of heaven. But we can’t do this—we can’t seek him—without spending time in his Word. Seeking the things above, setting our minds on them, starts there.

As we read the Scriptures, as we study it and consume it, we grow in our love for Christ. We want to be more like him. We want to love what he loves, and how he loves. If we want to know Jesus, if we want to be transformed by him, that’s where it starts.

The post Set your mind on Christ appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

David wrote in Psalm 63, “You satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise you with joyful lips. When I think of you as I lie on my bed, I meditate on you during the night watches because you are my helper; I will rejoice in the shadow of your wings” (5-7).

What I love about David’s words here is how he expressed his satisfaction in God. It’s a relationship of intense enjoyment. Think about that: He genuinely enjoys God, not in an abstract way, but in practice. He praises with joyful lips. He thinks of him late into the evening and as he goes to bed. David describes himself as one who literally can’t stop thinking about God!

Which is strange for so many of us, of course. After all, we so often want it to be the reverse—that God can’t stop thinking about us. (Which is an issue for another time.) But strange or not, it’s worth asking ourselves the question:

When was the last time we set aside time and just enjoyed God?

When did we last open the Bible, just to read it? To hear from God? Not hoping to find a verse that answers the prayer request we’ve had for the last six months, or (depending on your convictions) seeking a special word just for you. When did we read just to learn more about him, and to enjoy his presence in that respect?

This is one of the great themes of the Bible, especially in the psalms. Throughout, the Bible is described sweeter than honey, enlightening, pure, clean, good, righteous, and more desirable than gold.

Whenever a psalmist—whether David or another—writes about God’s Word, there is an unabashed delight in the tone. They’re the words of people satisfied by God—satisfied with the One who is their helper. This is one of the many things I love about the psalms. it’s one of the many things I love about the Bible. In it, we meet the One who matters more than anything. Let’s never stop seeking him, the only One who truly satisfies.

The post Seeking the One who satisfies appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Millennial Motherhood: Three Traps for Young Moms

Abigail Dodds:

Much of what’s true of every generation throughout all time is true of millennials. We are just people. Yet, just like every other generation, we have some particular tendencies, challenges, strengths, and weaknesses that result from the time, place, and society into which we were born. Here are three harmful characteristics I’ve observed in millennial motherhood, along with ways I’ve sought to align my mothering with God’s word.

Reading Revelation Rightly

Brandon Smith:

The Book of Revelation contains vivid imagery, wild analogies, and rhetoric rife with end-times judgment. John’s enigmatic vision has tempted many people to treat Revelation as a code to break, and to look around the world for “signs of the apocalypse.” We wonder whether Black Hawk helicopters are locusts, rare eclipses over China are the infamous “blood moons,” Catholic popes are Babylonian whores, and Barack Obama or Donald Trump is the Antichrist (depending on your political convictions). When we do this, we assume that Revelation was written solely to us and applies directly to our situation. That assumption is problematic, to say the least. But most importantly, any fearful chart-making and number-decoding distorts the point of the Book of Revelation—distorts the fact that it is a hopeful document, not a dire one.

When It’s Time To Remember All the Stupid Things You’ve Said

Tim Challies:

We use our words to talk about others—even people we love and admire. We grumble about them, we disclose information about them. Often we don’t even really mean what we say. Often the words coming out of our mouths are harsher than the thoughts in our heads or the feelings in our hearts. We poke fun at people. We mock them for their eccentricities. We get cheap laughs from recounting their flaws and foibles. Though we harbor no real malice toward them, still we say malicious things, still we recount awkward moments. It’s wrong, it’s shameful, and it’s far too common.

Thanks, Dad, for not (always) showing up

Bryan Loritts:

I’m so thankful my dad didn’t come to all of my football, basketball, and baseball games. He was thankful too. He never even pretended that perfect attendance at our ball games was a goal, or that his identity was tied into whether or not he showed up. Of course, I was excited to see him on occasion standing down the first base line just outside the fence, with his tie loosened cheering me on while I tried to crush the ball. But those days he wasn’t there I knew why—he was working. His absences were a real gift to me, a gift I didn’t fully appreciate until decades later.

Dad refused to make me the center of his world.

4 Key Ingredients in a Devotional Reading of Scripture

Bruce Ashford:

When the resurrected Lord rebuked the Ephesian church for leaving its first love, he was also serving notice to Christians of all times that they must labor to not lose the passionate commitment and joy that attended their conversion. This should remind us that the Christian life has many temptations, none of which is more insidious than leaving our “first love” (Rev. 2:4).

Why we grow so slowly

Ray Ortlund shares three reasons why we grow so slowly as Christians from Archibald Alexander.

My Bible… My Idol?

A favorite from the archives:

Periodically, the accusation of “bibliolatry” pops up in a book or a blog, usually as a shot at those who hold to a high view of Scripture. The idea that the Bible is the written Word of God, authoritative and free from error in all it teaches, is an uncomfortable one in an increasingly pluralistic and relativistic culture. It’s too… absolute, so it doesn’t sit right with many people today.

But is it fair to call a high view of Scripture—one that takes Paul’s words in 2 Tim 3:16-17 seriously, and therefore demands that all aspects of our lives be brought under Scripture’s authority—idolatry?

The post Links I like (8/24) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

There’s a doctrine that people get really weird about: the inerrancy of Scripture. In a nutshell, this doctrine means every word the original authors wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was free from error, without a shred of falsehood or deceit to be found in it in any way.

There’s an assumption that comes with this doctrine, this belief that God’s Word is really, and truly true: that God wants us to understand His Word. Christians believe that, as the Holy Spirit worked through human authors to reveal God to us, He made sure this revelation was clear. So clear, in fact, that much of it can be understood with many of the same basic principles of interpretation we use when we read any other book. We intuitively pay attention to context clues, verb tenses, and the literary forms used in the text we’re reading. This doesn’t mean it’s all equally clear, of course. Some parts are hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:16), and because of our sinful nature, there are aspects that we are incapable of fully grasping on our own.

But because He wants us to know His Word, God helps us understand them. During His earthly ministry, Jesus explained the Scriptures to His disciples (Luke 24:27), but also opened their minds to understand them (47). Today, the Holy Spirit illuminates the Scripture to our hearts and minds (John 14:15-18; 16:7-15). God helps us to understand what we could not otherwise, and gives us the desire to be transformed by the truth of His Word.

The post God wants us to know his Word appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

In completely random bits of randomness news, it’s International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Emily is super-bummed because Krispy Kreme isn’t giving away boatloads of donuts this year! Maybe next year…

4 Reflections From My Daughter’s Baptism

This will make you misty.

Died: Nabeel Qureshi, Author of ‘Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus’

Kate Shellnutt:

The 34-year-old convert from Islam was an itinerant speaker with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) until his diagnosis last summer. He spent months in aggressive treatment, including the removal of his stomach, all the while praying for a miracle to heal him.

A Tale of Choosing Between Two Churches

Steve Burchett:

Stu and his family moved to a new city one summer. His company transferred him unexpectedly, so he either had to relocate or find another job. He chose to go but had little time to research good churches before they arrived. Thankfully, he knew a couple of websites that pointed them toward gospel-believing churches in the area. They decided to visit two.

The False “Youth Movement” of Mainline Protestantism

Chris Martin:

Such growth isn’t really sustainable and can barely be called “growth.” It is not as though all young evangelicals are going to decide evangelicalism is too conservative. The key to healthy growth in a church movement is having children. It’s almost like God should have commanded it it’s so important. 

Great Reality Inspires Great Writing

John Piper:

I spoke recently to a gathering of writers. The time allotted was short, so I made only one point. But this one point is, I believe, fundamental and universal for all authentic writing. By authentic, I mean writing that sincerely intends to carry the mind and heart of the writer, and that aims to communicate some reality that is more than mere self-expression — even if it is fiction or a playful note for your children.

The Why and the How of Scripture Meditation

Kevin Halloran shares wisdom from Don Whitney.

Busyness goes after everyone’s joy

A favorite from the archives:

Whenever people ask me how I’m doing, I’m always tempted to answer in the same way: “Busy.”

I really hate answering that way. A lot. I hate it because it sometimes seems like a badge of honor—”dude, I’m so busy right now; I don’t have a clue how to keep on top of all this stuff.” I also hate it because I’m not always sure it’s true. Am I really that busy, or am I just not using the time I’ve been given well? (And don’t get me started on the difference between busyness and productivity; they’re not remotely the same thing.)

But more than these reasons, I really hate saying I’m busy because—when I legitimately am—it’s usually my family that’s hurt the most by it.

The post Links I like (9/19) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Reading the Bible is absolutely essential to a Christian’s growth in his or her faith. All of us probably know this (even if we don’t always do it). But it can’t be overstated: There is no book more important to us as believers. There is no book that will shape us like this like this one. And there’s one thing that is absolutely essential for us to commit to as we read it. Prayer. I love the way J.C. Ryle put it:

Is the Bible the Word of God? Then be sure you never read it without fervent prayer for the help and teaching of the Holy Spirit. Humble prayer will throw more light on your Bible than any commentary that ever was written. You will not understand it unless your heart is right. You will find it a sealed book without the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Its contents are often hidden from the wise and learned, and revealed to babes.

Reading the Bible is essential, but it isn’t enough without prayer. We need the Holy Spirit’s help in understanding the text. We need Him to transform us as we read the text. We need him to give us the humility to repent and believe as we read. Of all the things we should do, this is one thing that should never be overlooked.

The post One thing you can’t afford *not* to do when reading the Bible appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Every generation wrestles with how to understand the Bible. Not just in terms of content (though there is that), but with regard to what the Bible actually is. And often, the wrestling winds up offering a take on the Bible that suggests we should respect and honor it, is doubtful as to its trustworthiness as a revelation of God’s will and character. Essentially, what you wind up with is a book that’s pretty much like any other. You can embrace the parts you find helpful and toss the rest.

But if the Bible is indeed the Word of God, that means what it says is what God says. It has authority. Correction: it is the ultimate source of authority for a Christian. It is truthful in everything that it teaches, without exception. It is a book overflowing with wisdom; it is “profitable” for us, equipping us in every way to live to the glory of God, even if that way seems strange to the world around us (2 Tim 3:17-18).

And this, I think, explains this tendency to redefine it. It’s an issue of authority. What this book says, God says. It tells us about how we were created to live, yes. But it does more than that. It tells a story about humanity. It speaks about humanity in a way no other book does. It doesn’t present us as being on a journey of progress, or as heroic figures, as any human author naturally would. Instead, when we read the Bible, we discover, “we have met the enemy and he is us.”¹ We don’t have all the answers. We aren’t good enough, smart enough, or doggone likable enough to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps and realize our own potential. We need Someone to rescue us; to not just teach us how to be better people, but to make us new people. People with a desire to love, honor, and obey the One who created them. People who want to tell the entire world about Him!

That’s why this book matters. It is a book like no other. It’s the most humbling, frustrating, and awe-inspiring book you’ll ever read. But it’s the only one that has the answers to all the questions we don’t even know to ask.

Note: this post is part of an informal, periodic series exploring different theological concepts for another project I’m working on. As such, application is going to be limited. Hopefully the knowledge will be helpful. 

The post If the Bible is the Word of God… appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Whenever I read or hear words like “resist the Spirit’s leading,” my first instinct is to cringe.¹

This special appeal to the Spirit’s leading is most often used when espousing views contrary to those found in the words he inspired to be written on a host of issues like views of marriage and sexuality, the work of Christ, or the nature of God himself. And the question I find myself asking whenever I see the appeal made is a simple one: “How do you know?”

After all, if we can’t use the words the Spirit inspired to be our norming-norm, what do we use to determine whether or not we’re resisting him? Shifts in culture? Personal feelings and preference? (And as an aside, if you’re reading this and don’t believe Scripture is inspired and perfectly accurate in all it teaches, this really is a legitimate question. I want to know how you would determine this.)

I’m not sure we can do that. I’m not sure it’s possible to truly make the case. After all, the Spirit doesn’t work apart from the word he inspired. He always works through it. Martyn Lloyd-Jones put it well when he wrote,

The Holy Spirit always works through the word of God. Now there are many people who claim that He works directly. That was what caused the Quakers to wander off from the main party of the Puritans. They said that the word was not necessary, that the Holy Spirit spoke directly to each person, in some secret mystical manner, by some ‘inner light’. Not at all! The Holy Spirit always uses the word: ‘This is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you,’ says Peter (1 Pet. 1:25). ‘Being born again,’ says Peter, ‘not by corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever’ (1 Pet. 1:23).²

It’s important that we wrestle with what’s going on in our culture, the shifts in beliefs and behaviors especially. But if anyone is going to make a convincing argument on why Christians need to change their views on a number of key controversial issues, it’s not going to be pitting the Spirit against Scripture. Our understanding of the word might genuinely be wrong, and he if so, he will inevitably correct that. But the Spirit always works through the word, and he is never going to run contrary to it.

The post The Spirit always works through the Word appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

The Four C’s of Biblical Leadership

Juan Sanchez:

Now, before we get into what I’m about to say on leadership, let me offer a disclaimer: I am NO leadership expert (whatever that may be?). However, I have made lots of mistakes from which the Lord has taught me much. Regardless, my thoughts on leadership are not dependent on having enrolled in “the school of pastoral hard knocks.” Instead, my thoughts are dependent on what Scripture itself says about church leadership. And according to Scripture, there are more important qualities to assess in leaders than “competency” and “results.” Allow me to offer, then, some biblical thoughts on leadership assessment and development.

What Does the Roman Catholic Church Believe About Justification?

R.C. Sproul:

Many issues were involved in the Reformation, but the core matter, the material issue of the Reformation, was the gospel, especially the doctrine of justification. There was no great disagreement between the Roman Catholic Church authorities and the Protestant Reformers about the objective side. All the parties agreed that Jesus was divine, the Son of God and of the Virgin Mary, and that He lived a life of perfect obedience, died on the cross in an atoning death, and was raised from the grave. The battle was over the second part of the gospel, the subjective side, the question of how the benefits of Christ are applied to the believer.

The Type of Refuge God Is

Mike Leake:

But that’s not the only image that Nahum 1 gives to us. We are to believe that not only is the Lord a refuge but he knows those who take refuge in him. It is the same word used of Adam knowing his wife. It is not just that he knows their identity but he delights in those who take refuge in Him.

On My Nightstand

I love seeing what my friends are reading.

What Is a Writer Who Can’t Write?

Tim Challies:

I know I’m prone to feeling sorry for myself and I am quite committed to avoiding the temptation. It is one of those sins that feels like it will feel good but actually just ends up feeling miserable. I know that intellectually—it’s just that tricky matter of implementing it emotionally.

So here’s the deal: I’m a writer who can’t write. Sometimes I joke about it—I’m like a preacher without a voice or a painter without a brush. But seriously, who or what is a writer if he can’t write?

What Does the Bible Say About Justice?

Aaron Earls:

So here are around two dozen passages that demonstrate the obsession Scripture has with the concept of justice. The link goes to the full chapter so you can read them in context.

These are not all of the verses, as there are hundreds that address the topic, but these give an idea of what the Bible has to say about justice.

Can a true believer blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

A favorite from the archives:

Again, really basic here: Jesus calls their theory ludicrous—a divided kingdom can’t stand, it will be laid to waste. Defeat is inevitable. Satan’s desire isn’t to defeat himself, but to rule God’s creation for himself. You can say many things about the serpent, but he’s not an idiot. He’s the prince of this world, and he won’t give it up that easily.

But if Jesus is casting out demons by the power of the Holy Spirit, then it means the kingdom of God has come. It means Jesus, the “strong man” in his example, has come to plunder the goods of Satan’s house before crushing his head.

The post Links I like (10/24) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

A few years ago, I put together a tool to help memorize the book of Colossians. I had used one like it by Tim Brister to memorize the book of Philippians, and found the format useful and the experience rewarding.

Lately, I’ve been considering making a new one and making it available. Maybe changing up the formatting a little bit to make it easier to print, but essentially keeping it a similar style as the Colossians one.

The book I’m considering building one for is 1 John. Why 1 John?

1. We’ve been studying this epistle at our church, and every time we come to it, it’s inspiring challenging (but hopeful) thinking and desires.
2. In many ways, 1 John is the textbook for what Ray Ortlund describes as gospel culture—how the gospel shapes what we believe, who we become, and how we behave.
3. John’s thought process is unlike ours in so many ways. 1 John is a decidedly non-linear book, and seeking to memorize it may be a great help in better understanding his message.

So that’s why I’ve been mulling it over. Now, here’s the question for you to answer, via Twitter, Facebook, or email: would a resource like this actually be helpful to you?

The post Would another tool like this be helpful? appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

There are many books on my shelf, and far too many have been neglected. But there is one book, out of all of them, that I fear neglecting: My Bible.

I didn’t always feel this way, of course. There was a time when I assumed it was a dreadfully dull book, with nothing of value to offer. But, beyond the fact that I wasn’t a believer, this was because I’d never read it. About 160 years ago, Charles Spurgeon challenged his congregation with these words:

The more you read the Bible, and the more you meditate upon it, the more you will be astonished with it. He who is but a casual reader of the Bible, does not know the height, the depth, the length, and breadth of the mighty meanings contained in its pages.

Spurgeon was right. The Bible is the book I want to read above all others. Even if it’s but a few words, it is nourishes my soul, and captivates my mind. It is the book I never get tired of returning to again and again. It is an astonishing book.

The post No Book is more astonishing appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

The Pronouns Preach

Jim Elliff:

When reading the Bible, parts of speech make a big difference in our understanding. There are many examples, but here is one that demonstrates my point perfectly. It is found in Ephesians. I will be so bold as to say, if you miss the pronouns, you miss the entire meaning of the epistle, and you will miss a particularly important lesson we need today.

Have you heard about the new Museum of the Bible?

Michael McAfee:

This museum is one of the tallest buildings in all of Washington—at 150 feet tall (including the best view in Washington)—and one of the largest museums—at 430,000 total square feet. There are massive floors filled with interactive exhibits for all ages. It’s probably unlike any museum you have experienced. In January, CNN named Museum of the Bible as the most anticipated museum opening in America.

How Southern Baptists Trained More Disaster Relief Volunteers than the Red Cross

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra:

Southern Baptists already have 65,000 trained volunteers; the Southern Baptist Convention’s (SBC) disaster response is so massive it financially trails only the Red Cross and the Salvation Army—and has more trained disaster relief volunteers than either one. In September, President Trump acknowledged each of “the big three” for their Harvey response.

Receiving presidential praise was a big moment in a big year for SBC disaster relief, which also celebrated its 50th anniversary and spent 500,000 hours tackling one of the worst natural disasters in American history.

But changing the volunteer structure will easily have the biggest long-range effect.

Who Are the Evangelicals?

Jonathon Woodyard:

But what is does “evangelical” mean? It seems the term is used so broadly today that one wonders if it has significant meaning anymore. Historian Thomas Kidd raised this issue in the Washington Post and in a post at The Gospel Coalition. At one level, this question could be a huge waste of time. And yet, since the name is used often in our culture, we should know a bit about it. More importantly, we should decide if we ourselves should (or want) to own the name. It may be the case that the name is used to denote people and movements with which I have no inclination to align myself in anyway way. There are diverse groups that identify as evangelicals or part of evangelicalism.

6 Mistakes Leaders Make in Their First 90 Days

Eric Geiger:

While there is nothing magical about the number, many have used the “first 90 days” to describe the important first days in a leader’s new role. In his helpful book The First 90 Days, Michael Watkins encourages leaders to adjust their leadership to the context and life cycle of the organization: start-up, realignment, sustaining success, or turnaround. As an example, leading in a start-up or turnaround requires a very different approach than a seasoned and sustainable organization.

But no matter what context you find yourself in, there are six common mistakes you can avoid during your first ninety days.

What the God of Peace Will Do

Darryl Dash:

I used to read benedictions like “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you” as throwaway lines. No longer. The longer I’ve been alive, the more I realize I need this present-day grace that’s available because of the past work of Jesus and the future, complete defeat of evil. I need this grace today.

Five signs you need to quit blogging

A favorite from the archives:

I’ve been at this whole blogging thing for about five years now. One thing I learned very quickly: blogging can be tricky business. Although it’s not actually all that hard to get attention in the Christian blogosphere, it can be fleeting. Deadlines can weigh on you. Life gets busy, and you have to ask: should I still be doing this?

(And for those wondering, no this isn’t my subtle way of saying I’m giving up the ghost.)

So when do you know you need to quit? Here are five signs.

The post Weekend reading (11/18) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Even If the Foundations Are Destroyed, Fear-Mongering Is Not a Christian Option

Mike Leake:

Those who peddle fear would have us believe that it is on some particular point that the foundation is still teetering. To not follow the party line on this issue will be to surrender every foundation and if this one falls then to the mountains we must go. And so if we desire to protect the foundations then we must hold our nose and vote for immoral men. We must overlook sexual immorality and accept pride and narcissism as a necessary evil to maintaining our foundations.

The Numinous and R.C. Sproul

Jared Wilson:

The cliche “larger than life” could have been invented for R.C. Sproul. And he seemed that way not simply for his towering intellect, his far-reaching influence, and his incredible preaching gift, but also for the way he talked about the holiness of God as a man who had been taken apart and put back together by it. And yet one thing I have learned that the holiness of God does to Spiritually in-step souls is that it makes them simultaneously heaven-minded and of earthly good. Has any pastor-theologian of his stature seemed so at once erudite and . . . well, normal? One can just as easily see oneself discussing Cartesian philosophy with R.C. as watching the Steelers game with him. Who else is both a towering intellect and entirely amiable? I can think of no one. (Don’t name any names, because I’ll tell you how socially awkward they actually are.) This is an effect of the holiness of God also.

The ‘Star Wars’ Saga as Rhyming Poetry

Seth Woodley:

The similarities were unmissable: the destruction of a massive spherical weapon through the exploitation of a weak point vulnerable only to X-wings—this time the planet Starkiller Base instead of the moon-sized Death Star; the presence of cute droids who provide whimsical comic relief—this time BB-8 instead of R2-D2; and so forth. Even many of the shots felt like replicas, as demonstrated in this side-by-side video comparison.

But is this a problem?

Sexual Harassment, Jesus, and Me—One Pastor’s Story

Brian Bowman:

I called the university president’s office and asked to meet with him. I ended up sitting down with a dean and telling the story. I do not remember much about the meeting with the dean. I felt he was kind, and I felt he wanted me to transfer, but I didn’t want to. I hadn’t done anything wrong.

Why You Need an Anti-Library

Nate Claiborne:

Bookshelves should in a certain sense be monuments of your ignorance. I pointed to them and called them that once during a Bible study. When people come over for the first time they will often ask if I’ve read “all those books.” The short is of course no, and I probably never will. I’ve read a good bit of them, but just for realism sake, in the picture above, there are just over 100 books that I haven’t read. And that’s one of 6 bookshelves I have (not all that big). And that’s not counting the thousands of books in my Logos library that I’ll never touch.

Christmas and the Jefferson Bible

Eric Geiger:

The thinking behind Jefferson’s Bible is popular because it invites us to learn from Jesus and not bow before Him. Learning from Jesus’ example is very different from surrendering to Him as King. Because of our sin and our inability to rescue ourselves, we do not need a moral example nearly as much as we need a Savior. And only when we have been rescued by Him can we truly follow His example.

Our spectacularly un-Christmasy Christmas traditions

A favorite from the archives:

Christmas traditions are strange animals. I know some people who do things like spend Halloween night getting their Christmas on, decorating up a storm, baking cookies, and putting trees up in almost every room. Some go to special church services on Christmas Eve. Some like to watch specific Christmas specials or movies every year, like Miracle on 34th Street, Elf, or Die Hard.

Bruce Willis taking back Nakatomi Plaza aside, there aren’t a lot of Christmas traditions in the Armstrong house. Up until recently, our church hasn’t had a permanent facility, so we’ve not had Christmas Eve services (at least, not that I can recall). In order to best meet the needs of our extended family, we allow the kids to open gifts on Christmas Eve, rather than Christmas day. But there isn’t really a ton beyond that.

The post Weekend reading (12/16) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Why Our Expectations for Teens in the Church Are Way Too Low

Cameron Cole:

Historically, one of the failures of youth ministry is that kids have not been viewed as potential contributors in the church, and that is a disservice to them and to the church as a whole. We need kids to learn how to be real church members, and we need kids to have good ecclesiology—a good theology of the church.

What Google knows about being human

Jason Thacker & Justin Wester:

Google is ubiquitous in our culture. Being a search engine, an internet provider, ad manager, email service, and so much more, Google is one of the preeminent tech giants whose influence is seen throughout most sectors of our society. For millions of people across the globe–ourselves included–the tech juggernaut is fully integrated into our everyday lives in ways we are not even conscience of, seemingly serving as an extension of our own minds. By examining the trends and patterns revealed in internet searches during 2017, Google discovered an interesting result: this year, the world asked “how?” And to showcase these results, Google put together a video.

Generosity in the Absence of Tax Advantages

Marty Duren:

For the Christ follower, how much we may be able to give at a certain time is hardly academic. Real life means real expenses many of which are outside our control. A multi-thousand-dollar visit to the ER can backup cash-flow for months or years. A blown engine is not covered by insurance while getting to work remains an essential. Asking folks with holes in their pockets to “dig deep” returns empty hands no matter how intense the effort.

What Expository Preaching Is Not

HB Charles Jr:

Many preachers reject expository preaching without really knowing what it is. Others seek to practice it without really knowing what it is. But you should not react to a caricature of expository preaching. And you should learn a craft before you try to practice it.

Here are fifteen myths about expository preaching that should be exposed to help the preacher rightly understand and faithfully practice expository preaching.

4 Creative Ways to Be Generous

Kristen Wetherell:

Perhaps, like me, you wonder if it’s possible to be generous when finances are tight. I’ve wrestled with this question, since it can feel like my family doesn’t have “wiggle room” for spontaneous financial gifts. I’ve been overwhelmed by the number of needs around us—an ailing saint, a new baby, a financial crisis—and in my discouragement over finances, pride has taken root.

It’s a pride that says, “It has to be us who meet such-and-such a need.” Pride that doubts God’s goodness and ability to provide for all our needs. Pride that asserts my natural desire for independence and control, rather than a humble submission to what he’s allotted for us.

3 Ways I Plan to Read the Bible Less in 2018

Garret Kell:

The dawn of a new year offers a natural time to recommit to regularly reading the Bible. Of course, there’s nothing magical about a new year, but we do tend to think about changes that will grow us in Christlikeness.

One change I’ve made the past few years is that I plan to read less of the Bible each year. I’ve found less can actually be more.

Breaking out of the reading rut (the re-read recap)

A favorite from the archives:

I realized my reading habits had become a bit boring.

There wasn’t a lot of risk. Many of the books I enjoyed, I was fairly certain I’d enjoy before I finished the first chapter—and often, before I’d turned to the first page. The authors are trustworthy and reliable, and I therefore knew what to expect. But I found the same issue crop up with the books I didn’t particularly enjoy, too. Not that I was intentionally pre-judging, but that there wasn’t really anything that surprised me. The arguments were predictable in most cases, and often far too easy to refute.

The post Weekend reading (12/30) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

I don’t do this all the time. In fact, it’s pretty rare. But the other night, I decided to do something different as I prepared to start a new Bible reading plan: I read the first chapters of Genesis out loud. The creation story through the fall of humanity.

It wasn’t a terribly dramatic reading at least not at first. But as I read, I found the drama seeping into my voice. The excitement of creation building with each “Let there be.” The sinister sweetness of the serpent’s question, “Did God really say?” The indignation rising in Adam’s cry, “The woman you gave me.”

Reading flatly wasn’t an option. The emotional quality of the Story, the drama of the opening moments of history, compelled this response. It drew me in and wouldn’t let go.

And that was yet another “Oh yeah” moment for me.

It’s easy to wonder why God chose to communicate the way he did. Why didn’t he just give us a list of rules to obey? Why do we have a story? It’s because God is a storyteller.

From beginning to end, God is telling a story, the Story of his plan to rescue and redeem his people through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. And he has made us as storytelling—and story consuming— creatures. He wants us to engage with the drama. He wants us to feel it as we learn from it. To know with both our heads and our hearts. That is what a good storyteller does. And that’s what I was reminded of once again by reading God’s Word aloud.

The post Reading God’s Word out loud appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Yesterday, I got to one of those really weird and awkward stories in the Bible: the tale of Jacob, Rachel and Leah. The details of the story are probably familiar to many of you: Jacob had run off to live with his uncle Laban after stealing his brother’s blessing and birthright. On the way, he saw Rachel and immediately fell in deep smit with her. He agreed to work for his uncle for seven years to marry her, was given Leah in marriage instead, and then married Rachel in exchange for working for another seven years. Along the way, there’s trickery, rivalry, and more than a little bartering that goes on in exchange for who gets to (ahem) spend time with Jacob.

Jacob, one of the Patriarchs, the father of the heads of what would become the 12 tribes of Israel. This is an incredibly messed up story, and the deeper you go into his family’s story, the worse it gets.¹ It’s a story that seems like it belongs in a soap opera, and yet there it is in the Bible.

Which seems to me like a pretty big hint that the Bible is actually true.

See, here’s the thing: When we’re writing stories about ourselves, what do we do? We almost always cast ourselves in the best light possible. Even when we talk about the terrible things we’ve done, it’s typically from a perspective of overcoming or learning from them. But Jacob’s story doesn’t really go that way. His favoritism of Rachel over Leah never diminishes. His favoritism of the children she bore is evident. He is a broken, train wreck of a human being.

In other words, he’s one of us.

A person, a sinner, in need of grace.

And this is what we see in the Bible over and over again, not just with the Patriarchs, but with everyone we would be inclined to look to as a hero. Samson was a proud fool. Samuel was a negligent father. David was a polygamist, adulterer, and murderer. Solomon was an idolator. Peter was a people pleaser. Paul was a murderer, too.

God’s Word doesn’t present our heroes at their best. It doesn’t repackage their stories as we might our own. It presents them as they were. Broken sinners like you and me in need of the one Hero who never falls. The One they are mere shadows of when they’re at their best.

Jesus, the Son of God who came to rescue and redeem them.

The One in whom the Bible calls us to place all our hope.

The post One big hint the Bible is true appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

Moralism is Not the Gospel (But Many Christians Think It Is)

Albert Mohler:

The seduction of moralism is the essence of its power. We are so easily seduced into believing that we actually can gain all the approval we need by our behavior. Of course, in order to participate in this seduction, we must negotiate a moral code that defines acceptable behavior with innumerable loopholes. Most moralists would not claim to be without sin, but merely beyond scandal. That is considered sufficient.

The Beauty of Conversion

Jared Wilson:

To many, the Christian doctrine of conversion appears anything but beautiful. They say it’s coercive—“No one will force their beliefs on me!” Or it’s offensive—“Who are you to say that what I believe and how I live is wrong?”

In those senses, of course, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The most important thing about doctrine is not whether it’s ugly or beautiful, but whether it’s false or true. That said, the true doctrine of Christian conversion is just plain beautiful.

When Was Acts Written?

This is interesting stuff from Darrell Bock.

Sanctification and God’s Rambunctious Children

Margaret Bronson:

We are, like my children, desperately needy and utterly dependent upon God, not only to meet our needs but to sustain our faith and grow us into spiritual adulthood. We are called to be Christ-like, but that does not happen at the moment of conversion! Like my children, we need to be teachable, aware of our spiritual child-likeness. This is necessary in our relationship with God. The painful process of making mistakes and learning from them is a long, unpredictable dying to self. By nature we want to be great instantly at this “Christianity thing,” and if we can’t, we pretend that we are to ourselves, to our friends, and even to God. But God knows the state of your heart. He is not fooled, and His expectations for your sanctification are inseparable from the slow slog of reality.

You are NOT like Christ; until you are glorified, you will fail.

It Doesn’t Get Any More Personal

Mark Galli:

I was sitting outside the library at the University of California at Santa Cruz when two other students walked by complaining about Christian faith in the crucifixion of Jesus. As a young Christian with an interest in working with my cohorts to evangelize the campus, I turned my head to hear more. I don’t remember much of what they said except the exclamation of one of the women: “Dying on a cross—it’s just so disgusting.”

3 Spiritual Reasons to Do Something You’re Not Good At

Michael Kelley:

This is a hard thing for us, especially as we grow older. We don’t like to look foolish. And we know at this point in our lives where we are likely to succeed and where we may fail. And, typically, it’s less fun to fail. So why do this?

You (yes, you) really do need an outside perspective

A favorite from the archives:

One of the many dangers of social media is the temptation to say something before you’ve thought it out. A snarky comment or a genuinely witty remark are occasionally the fruit; more often, the result winds up being something, well… unwise. I almost had a moment like that last week. Fortunately, my wife tends to be sitting next to me whenever I’m preparing to send out a tweet. Because she sometimes has a better sense of—how do I put this?—feeling than me, she usually can tell pretty quickly whether something is going to cross the line from funny to offensive.

The post Weekend reading (1/13) appeared first on Blogging Theologically.

As part of my job, I am involved in a couple of Kids Ministry groups on Facebook. The conversations I see are fascinating. Usually they’re about best practices for discipling kids, occasionally folks are looking for different curriculum options… and then every so often there’s a question about what we should and shouldn’t be teaching kids.

Are sin too big for kids? Do we really need to teach them this or that story?

These are good questions, important questions. While some may disagree, it should be no surprise that I will say yes to each.

Yes, we need to teach kids about sin. We need to because they already know about it. They’ve experienced it in some way, but they should know how and why sin is in the world, what God has done to solve the problem of sin. So we teach them about sin to give them context and understanding of the world they live in.

And yes, that also means there aren’t really any stories from the Bible that are off-limits. You can (and should) teach kids about the nastier bits of Scripture, especially when it comes to the people we tend to portray as heroes (Abraham, Jacob, the Judges, David…). We don’t need to expose them to situations way too mature for them, of course, but in an age appropriate way, we should be helping kids see that the heroes of the Bible are people who needed God’s grace and forgiveness just like we do. That God was gracious to them, just as he is gracious to us. If all Scripture is inspired and profitable, then it’s inspired and profitable for all ages. Our responsibility is to teach it faithfully at an age-appropriate level (e.g., we don’t need to talk about adultery necessarily, but we do need to talk about David sinning).

Ultimately, we want kids to see that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and his gospel is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That Jesus’ goodness and righteousness is what we need to be in relationship with God. That Jesus is the one who paid for our sins. And Jesus is the one who we will spend eternity with by faith.

The post Should we teach kids about sin? appeared first on Blogging Theologically.