A great video from Lynn Cohick on what we would lose if we didn’t have Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians. Read more

An interesting follow-up to WTS-Philly’s decision to forcibly “retire” Douglas Green is that Douglas Green’s own church New Life Presbyterian Church, has investigated the matter and cannot find any grounds for supposing that Green was in violation of the standards. You can read New Life’s statement here, parts of it are below: As a result of our study and these meetings, we the Session of New Life Church, while fully respecting the right of the Board of Westminster Seminary to determine the... Read more

The talks on grace I gave in Czech provided me the opportunity to continue to deepen and sharpen my thinking. I call this sabbatical year a “grace awakening” for me, to borrow a title from Chuck Swindoll. I’ve undergone a theological transformation, one that would not have happened had it not been for the sabbatical year. I would describe the theological transformation in my life, just as Bonhoeffer did when he described the change that took place in his theology during his year in... Read more

David I. Starling UnCorinthian Leadership: Thematic Reflections on 1 Corinthians Eugene, OR: Cascade, 2014. Available at Amazon.com Hot off the press is this book by David Starling (Morling College, Sydney, Australia) which looks at leadership in light of 1 Corinthians. It covers the themes of kingdom, direction, wisdom, tradition, edification, motivation, and love. I like how Starling connects “Corinthianize” with “Californication.” Its a good little book on how to lead like Paul and how to de-Corinthianize your congregation! Read more

Here’s part 1 of the two part video on the Sermon on the Mount shot at the Mount of Beatitudes. If you are interested in Judson’s new MLM program check out the program website. Read more

I’ve been quite inactive on the blog for the last few weeks. We had a great trip to the Czech Republic. It began with a few days in Pisek in Southern Bohemia by myself. I preached a sermon at Elim on the Gift of Marriage. Then for a few days I spent time with Christian brothers and sisters in Pisek. It was a blessing to be invited into the intimacy of family on the Sunday afternoon. My friends Inka and... Read more

I’ve just finished the first day at the Paul as Pastor conference at Ridley Melbourne where I gave a paper on “Paul as Pastor in Galatians.” I came across this nice quote from Martin Luther on Gal 4:19-20: Look how much the apostle loves the Galatians … how he suffers for them, labors for them, worries about them. What a model for the Christian pastor! Cited from Gerald L. Bray, Reformation Commentary on Scripture: New Testament X: Galatians and Ephesians, ed. T.... Read more

I’m partnering with the Christian Ministries Department of Judson University in teaching a couple of courses in the brand new Masters of Leadership in Ministry. The following is part two of a two-part series shot while I was in Israel in the middle of May. Judson is using videos I shot in Israel to promote the MLM program which includes a two week study tour of Israel, which I’ll be leading. For more information on the program visit their site. I think... Read more

Here is a blast from the past, an article I wrote for Themelios some eleven years ago about Evangelicals and the “Third Quest” for the Historical Jesus. Wrote it when I was 28, I’m now 39! Wow, time sure flies!! The article includes references to Jesus Christ Superstar and Star Wars. Alas it seems nothing has changed since musical theater and sci-fi movies are still my go-to for anecdotes, jokes, and cultural references. You can read the whole thing here.   Read more

Over at Christian Century is Larry Hurtado’s review of Bart Ehrman’s HJBG. He concludes: In sum, this book elicits a mixed response. On the one hand, Ehrman is a generally good communicator, and the book may well introduce many readers to some of the issues and approaches involved in the scholarly investigation of Christian origins. But at points his argument is either somewhat misinformed or dubious. The astonishing early Christian claims about the risen Jesus’ divine status and the accompanying constellation of devotional practices... Read more