On the back of William Willimon’s book, Why Jesus?, Jason Byasee says Willimon has an eye for what is deliciously odd in Scripture, and I’m swiping Jason’s blurb line for this series because it perfectly describes the way Willimon writes about Jesus. As I have been reading Tim Keller’s new book on Jesus and Willimon’s at the same time, the word that comes to mind is “tension.” Keller’s book is fully Reformed; Willimon’s book is not — and they are... Read more
From Efrem Smith: 10.) Act as if justice is simply a social issue and not a biblical one. 9.) Reduce the Christian life to individualism. 8.) Major in the minors theologically. 7.) Stop saying “hate the sin, but love the sinner” when we don’t do it. 6.) Feel comfortable with segregated church. 5.) Confuse political ideology with biblical theology. 4.) Act as if race, class, and gender are no longer issues to be dealt with. 3.) Avoid prophetic preaching. 2.)... Read more
My doctor gave me a prescription for a drug, but gave me a card that would give me the first prescription free and the next six at $10 a piece. At least that’s what the information said. First time over, our friend Larry the Pharmacist took the little card, ran it through and bingo! a free prescription. Next time over, our friend Steve took the bigger card — the one for six prescriptions at a mere $10 for each one,... Read more
I can’t review all the books I purchase, am given or even read, so I want to mention a few that I have read or skimmed or dipped into here and there … beginning with Graham Cole, God the Peacemaker: How Atonement Brings Shalom (New Studies in Biblical Theology). Few topics have gotten evangelical conservatives more riled up than atonement, so it is nice to see a robust defense of a Reformed-ish approach that combines both Christus Victor and penal... Read more
Brant Pitre, in his new book, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist: Unlocking the Secrets of the Last Supper, examines what Jews were expecting when it came to the Messiah. This may seem like an odd place to begin in understanding Eucharist, but if you are a 1st Century Jew it is the only place one could have begun. While it is common to think Jews were expecting a political Messiah, Brant sketches four themes that were at... Read more
O God, who before the passion of your onlybegotten Son revealed his glory upon the holy mountain: Grant to us that we, beholding by faith the light of his countenance, may be strengthened to bear our cross, and be changed into his likeness from glory to glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Read more
Blog Book Review: Pure Scum: The Left-Out, the Right-Brained and the Grace of God By: Andy Holt I must have been 12 years old. Maybe 13. Either way, I was deeply entrenched in the most awkward phase of my life when my giant Greek youth pastor, Mike Sares, asked me and a friend to appear with him on television. Our task was to prerecord a series of introductions for Christian music videos that would play at 4:00 in the morning... Read more
Got a caption for this picture? Peggy, the virtual abbess, surveys the land of her life … in a triad. Pastor Josh examines the burden of the image of God. MaryKate Morse has planted two churches — good reflections. Mark Roberts writes from the other angle of pastoral ministry — on the suicide of a pastor. Back to ministry: Chaplain Mike has a wonderful post about Eugene Peterson. And Michael Kruse probes the Acts 16:5 Initiative. Adam McHugh: “I had... Read more
Click on this little image and follow your answers…. where did you end up? Read more
Select your answer to see how you score.
Jesus Creed
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In