Here is an offer you absolutely should not refuse. Available on Kindle already (cut and paste this link into your browser—https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FTEBDFM), my brand new summer beach reading special ‘Southern Discomfort’, available at only $9.99. In the wake of my bestseller, A Week in the Life of Corinth, I turned, in this novel, to what I know even better than Biblical studies, namely the South, and Southern fiction. If you like Grisham, you will love this. If you like the Southern... Read more

Here are some thoughts about Pentecost I recently wrote up for Missio-Alliance. See what you think… In the process of figuring out next steps when it comes to evangelism and mission work, there is a tendency on most people’s part to look for new techniques, plans and processes that work, strategies whether long or short term that lead to success and so on. We like to be hands-on and feel like we are in control. But alas, when it comes... Read more

Q10.BEN: Obviously the issue of slavery is a ethically difficult one for Christian scholars to discuss, and there have been recent treatments of the household codes and related passages such as the one you deal with in 1 Timothy, that in essence suggest that the writers of the NT, and perhaps especially those in the Pauline circle simply capitulated to the status quo, or even endorsed it, when it came to slavery (see e.g. Harrill’s book)? My response to that... Read more

Just for the record, I grew up listening to classical music and show tunes, hymns and then as a teen rock n’ roll, which kept my attention for a long time. I continued to play violin in the orchestra, right through the beginning of college. Played in the UNC chamber orchestra. I’ve always loved all kinds of music, even a bit of jazz. I remember listening to Brubeck (Take Five), the Crusaders, the Yellowjackets and Spirogyra, but not much of... Read more

It has been a good while since we’ve seen Kentucky George with Georgia Julia, two Southerners who made it big in Hollywood. Perhaps you enjoyed the Oceans movies which involved both these stars. In a sense, this movie is like those, as it is all about money shenanigans, only this time perpetrated by a fat cat at a major company traded on Wall Street. It’s also about what can only loosely be called business ethics, which a lot of time... Read more

Here is an interview done about this book, in which I explain the major thrusts of this book. There is a bit of a hiccup in my voice track in this interview, but you will hear clearly the majority of the interview clearly. Read more

There are only so many bands of the 60s through the 90s that I haven’t seen, that are still on the bucket list. One of those bands was Duran Duran, an 80s synth-pop band with a fashion sense and an attitude. Some of their songs were instant classics— like Hungry like the Wolf, Undone, View to a Kill, Notorious, Save a Prayer, and especially Ordinary World. Unlike some bands, these hits were spread over several albums so there wasn’t one... Read more

The giant kerfuffle recently over bathrooms in North Carolina and who gets to use which ones is a tip of the iceberg kind of thing, revealing to us where our glacial culture is drifting. If we are looking at and for underlying causes to what is going on, at the bottom of the well seems to be that little notion of ‘the right to self determination’. It is the voice that says ‘I am who I say I am’ regardless... Read more

Without question, the favorite thing to do in central Texas besides watching football, is finding a good barbecue restaurant, especially in a small town. One such place which is 40 miles south of Waco is Schoepf’s (pronounced chef’s) in the little town of Belton. As with so many of these places, its actually a meat market to which has been added a restaurant room, so you line up at the meat market and pick your meats (I had the pulled... Read more

Here’s a post by Rev. Randy Saultz, a former student of mine…. and a good colleague in ministry. — Preaching John’s Wisdom Ben Witherington is recognized for his exegetical expertise. Not as many know him as a preacher but his commentary John’s Wisdom shows his interest in homiletics as well. Look especially in the sections titled “Bridging the Horizons” for sermon starters. I will go straight to the back of the book to highlight some examples. He offers a helpful... Read more