All is well, but Kris recently went through her annual mammogram, the discovery of a change from last year with development of a cluster of microcalcifications, another mammogram and a consultation, and then a biopsy and a consultation with the radiologist to be given a clean bill of health. Whew! As her husband, the days of praying and waiting and wondering and worrying … some ups and downs … yes … a normal pattern for those who first learn of... Read more
What a fascinating set of issues arise in Derbe and Lystra. Jerusalem looms large on the horizon of church building in the Diaspora. 16:1 He also came to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple named Timothy was there, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but whose father was a Greek. 16:2 The brothers in Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 16:3 Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him, and he took him and circumcised him because... Read more
I announced last week that we are beginning a new series this week with David Opderbeck, a professor of law. He will educate us on law — should be fun. What is “Law”? My question for the opening post in this series is “what is ‘Law’?” Here’s the questions for this post: Which approach – formalism or realism – better accounts for “law” and for the role of “law” in society? As Christians living in a post-industrial, scientific, and/or postmodern age,... Read more
In their new book, Hidden Worldviews: Eight Cultural Stories That Shape Our Lives , Steve Wilkens and Mark Sanford examine cultural scripts that work against the gospel work in the Church. Our theme today: scientific naturalism. The motto: “Only matter matters.” We are back to the world of RJS: Where do you draw the line with the empirical and the natural for explanations? Is there God? Is there Spirit? Are we more than our chemicals and matter? Another worldview script... Read more
Everett Worthington, Jr., a well-known expert on the emotional and psychological dimensions of forgiveness, has given us a book so many need: forgiveness applied to more than just interpersonal dimensions. His new book is called A Just Forgiveness: Responsible Healing Without Excusing Injustice . He makes this statement about a situation that was provoked for me a few months back when I heard from a pastor-friend about relations breaking down in a church: “Most people who leave their job in... Read more
Jerusalem remained at that time the center of God’s people and that meant also the central city for the Church, the people of Messiah Jesus. This is the context for the next passage, a passage for which we need to give thanks and about which we need to be sorry: 15:36 After some days Paul said to Barnabas, “Let’s return and visit the brothers in every town where we proclaimed the word of the Lord to see how they are doing.”15:37 Barnabas wanted... Read more
We are moving from an age of belief to an age of the Spirit. We are open to the Spirit and pray for the work and power of the Spirit. An Age of the Spirit doesn’t mean laissez faire anything goes spirituality. Nor does it mean Charismatic Christianity with speaking in tongues, prayer languages, prophecy, and ecstatic worship (although it may include all of these – and will include these for some). But it does mean a step away from... Read more
Brand new book on an important topic: How do we move beyond the Bible? Should we? Better yet: Since we have to, how do we move beyond the Bible into our world but do this biblically? This is the concern of Zondervan’s new Counterpoint book edited by Gary Meadors: Four Views on Moving beyond the Bible to Theology (Counterpoints: Bible and Theology) . The book is of deep interest to me because of my book, The Blue Parakeet: Rethinking How... Read more
The missiological shift like the situational shift of the missional church is filled with stark contrasts between how mission was conceived in the traditional church a hundred or so years ago and how it ought to be conceived today in the Post-Christian West. Michael Goheen who is one of the leading scholars on Lesslie Newbigin’s life and thought spoke at an Acts 29 church planting conference. Goheen filled out what the stark contrasts are between traditional church and the missional churches understanding of mission: Goheen’s... Read more
Let’s back up again to see what is going on if we look at the Book of Acts in its presentation of God’s mission. The more strict Pharisaic believers contend that Gentile converts have to “go all the way” to circumcision to be fully devoted (Jewish) Messiah followers. The issue is no small one: it has to do with one’s view of Scripture, one’s view of how God regulates God’s people, and one’s view of authority. It was too simple,... Read more
Jesus Creed
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In