Occupy Jericho

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:38 pm By Samuel C. Long

Archaeologists are calling it the “find of the century.” A recent archaeological discovery sheds valuable light on well-known biblical stories. Though briefly mentioned in Joshua and 1 Samuel, the Book of Jasher was thought to be forever lost—until now. During renovations of the tragically burned Notre Dame Cathedral, a Hebrew scroll remained providentially untouched by the ferocious flames. After thorough investigation, it has been dated back to the Israelite monarchy. “We are cautiously calling this the Dead Sea Scroll of... Read more

Why Spiritual Gifts Aren’t Really A Thing

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:39 pm By John C. Nugent

The Problem with Spiritual Gifts I’m not sure spiritual gifts are a thing. I realize that this statement requires an explanation. The Apostle Paul appears to speak about them in 1 Corinthians. Churches often teach classes on them. And many Christians have taken tests to identify them. It’s how many of us first learned that we might be good teachers, preachers, or worship leaders. I don’t dispute that God has empowered each member of the church to serve the common... Read more

The Savior’s Apprentice

Last updated on: June 11, 2019 at 3:29 pm By Samuel C. Long

http://youtu.be/tJ2MaZRhIwQ I love the trailer to this movie because it encapsulates discipleship. Listen to a few of the lines and hear them not as some magician talking with his apprentice, but as Jesus speaking to a disciple: “All over the world dark forces are gathering. You’ve been chosen to stop them.” “You are going to be a force for good.” “Great men have always been called. This is your calling.” “This is crazy. But it is fun…” If we learn... Read more

Life Giving Words from 1-2 Kings

Last updated on: June 5, 2019 at 9:53 am By John C. Nugent

By Tommy Moehlman The book of 1-2 Kings is bonkers. Floating axe heads rise from the water. Children resurrect from the dead. These stories are sandwiched between the rise and fall of the Davidic monarchy. The narrator of 1-2 Kings (hereafter Kings) depicts an enchanted world filled with violence, famine, ecstatic prophets, and fire falling from the sky. We rightly ask how these narratives fit together, and more generally, how we might teach and preach from the book of Kings.... Read more

Life is a Highway

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:39 pm By Ronald D. Peters

The message that John the Baptist brought to God’s people was relatively simple. He called upon them to repent, for the kingdom of heaven was near. This was necessary because the people had a job to do. They had to prepare the way of the Lord, to make his paths straight (Matt 3:1-3). What did John mean by the metaphor “make his paths straight?” Jesus was driving toward a destination that required a straight highway. Israel’s job was to build... Read more

Taming the Dragon Part 2 – the Ancient Serpent

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:40 pm By Samuel C. Long

In my previous post, I talked about Leviathan in the Old Testament and located it as “some sort of serpenty sea monster, perhaps resembling a dragon, with multiple heads.” But I also alluded to the benefit of this information in helping to interpret Revelation. And so, to the New Testament we turn! Ancient Snake in the Garden? Interpreters have long equated the ancient serpent of Revelation 12 with the serpent of Genesis 3. And, since John explicitly calls his serpent... Read more

Taming the Dragon Part 1 – Leviathan

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:41 pm By Samuel C. Long

If you were to take a poll of Christians and non-Christians alike, asking which of the biblical books is most confusing, the overwhelming response is going to be “Revelation.” The bizarre imagery and coded language combined with the misunderstanding of the genre of the book as “end times prophecy” causes too many people just throw their hands up in frustration. And yet, as a minister, if I asked what the congregation wanted to study, without fail, someone asked for “Revelations.”... Read more

Suckcession Syndrome

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:43 pm By John C. Nugent

Suckcession – noun, the failure to raise up a competent successor. It was bittersweet watching another class of graduating seniors walk across the stage. They have been such an integral part of our lives for the past four years, and now they are gone. It is bitter because we will miss them. It is sweet because we really need them to leave. If upperclassmen never leave, underclassmen will never develop their potential to lead. As much as leaders like to... Read more

Baal-ing Out on God

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:43 pm By Ronald D. Peters

One of the reoccurring patterns of Israel’s history was their predilection for chasing after the gods of their neighbors, particularly Baal. Why was Baal such a temptation to Israel? Why didn’t the Israelites simply worship the God who gave them the Promised Land? In today’s blog, we will examine Judges 2:11-18 in order to answer these questions. What we will see is that the Israelites actually did this for understandable and pragmatic reasons. Nevertheless, their choices actually produced the exact... Read more

A Liberating Word

Last updated on: September 12, 2019 at 10:43 pm By Samuel C. Long

In their song “I’m Free,” The Rolling Stones put it succinctly: “I’m free to do what I want any old time.” In other words, as long as I’m not hurting anyone or breaking the law I can do what I want. Isn’t that what the serpent said to Adam and Eve? “You won’t die! And is that what God really said anyway?” And on down through history we perpetuate this ideology of doing whatever we want whenever we want. It’s... Read more