I rarely post pictures here–especially of myself. But this one is a treasure (for me). After preaching my sermon “Certainty Not” in Truett Seminary chapel (Tuesday, September 15, 2015) we, the seminary community, enjoyed a casual lunch together with special guest Bill Gaither. Then he spoke for about thirty minutes. Afterwards, before we dismissed, I prayed over him (something we always do for our special guests). At the end of my prayer he launched into singing “Farther along, we’ll know... Read more

This morning (Tuesday, September 15, 2015) I preached in chapel at Baylor’s Truett Seminary. Bill Gaither was the special guest. I had the wonderful experience of singing a duet with him. It wasn’t planned; it just happened. Here is the sermon I preached:   “Certainty Not” (Truett Seminary Chapel, September 15, 2015) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your path.” (Proverbs... Read more

I’m a life long card-carrying evangelical Christian. And yet I find it more difficult every year, especially every four years, to call myself “evangelical.” I blogged here recently about the news media labeling advocates of the “prosperity gospel,” the “gospel” of Word-Faith, “name it and claim it,” as “evangelical.” Now I see the news media labeling Falwell-founded Liberty University “evangelical.” (This is in news articles and broadcast stories about “democratic socialist” (his own label) Bernie Sanders’ campaign appearance there. I... Read more

A New Book Discussion Series: Scot McKnight, Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church In a few days I will begin a series of blog posts about theologian and New Testament scholar Scot McKnight’s very important recently published book Kingdom Conspiracy: Returning to the Radical Mission of the Local Church (Brazos Press, 2014). Those who have followed this blog very long know of my intense interest in discovering the meaning of “Kingdom of God.” There is... Read more

Is the “Prosperity Gospel” a Variety of Evangelicalism? I recently read a news article about “evangelicals” supporting Donald Trump for president of the United States. The focus of the article, its case study, was Florida mega-church pastor and sometime religious television personality Paula White. Her church in suburban Orlando attracts about twenty thousand attenders and thousands more watch her on television and read her writings. She is emerging as a leading spokesperson for “American evangelicals.” According to most sources I... Read more

What follows here is a guest post written by my colleague Joel Gregory. I do not know to whom he is specifically referring and it doesn’t matter. At least once every year we hear or read about a religious (usually Christian) pastor or leader who experiences moral failure. Joel is one of the best preachers I have ever heard–as well as a delightful raconteur and good friend. He pastored First Baptist Church of Dallas following W. A. Criswell’s “retirement.” He teaches... Read more

Discussion of Malestrom by Carolyn Custis James (Summing Up) Here I will be responding to Chapters 8 and 9 of Malestrom: “The Manhood of Jesus” and “Liberating Men from the Malestrom” respectively. Some of what I say here may be confusing if you are not reading the book and have not read my previous discussions of the book here. These chapters bring the book to a close. Here I will respond to them and to the book as a whole.... Read more

Some Things I Have Learned from Blogging I am now approaching, and may even have gone over, one thousand distinct blog posts here. (I do not think I have ever re-posted exactly the same blog post twice.) This blog began before it was “adopted” by Patheos, so I’m not sure exactly how many posts I have written. I only see the statistics on Patheos. Blogging has been a learning experience for me—especially as my readership has grown and become increasingly... Read more

Discussion of Malestrom by Carolyn Custis James (Part Five) Here I will be responding to Chapters 6 and 7 of Malestrom: “The Marginalized Man” and “Gender Role Reversal” respectively. Some of what I say here may be confusing if you are not reading the book and have not read my previous discussions of the book here. I suppose it might be worth asking and answering why I am spending so much time on this book here? I get many books... Read more

Is It “Christianity versus Science?” (What Brunner Said) American conservative Christianity, especially conservative evangelical theology influenced by fundamentalism, still struggles with science. And, of course, many scientists struggle with religion—except that which is completely privatized and makes no truth claims about reality outside the self. Cornell University’s late, former president Andrew White’s “warfare of science with theology in Christendom” (partial title of his two volume work published in 1896) goes on—especially in the “trenches,” so to speak. By “the trenches”... Read more