Bible/Theology
Thoughts on a broad range of questions related to the Bible and Theology.
Thoughts about God, Truth, and Life
A Covenant with a Most Holy God
Sometimes it is helpful to look to past generations for an example of godly devotion. One such example is John William Fletcher (1729-1785), whom John Wesley admired and desired to imitate. Seven months after his conversion, Fletcher penned a covenant with God which is a classic statement of Christian devotion. The covenant in its entirety is quoted by Fred Sanders in Scriptorium Daily.
Bible Maps on the Web
There is a new web site with the goal of mapping every location mentioned in the Bible on Google maps. Tim Kimberley of BibleMap.org is a Th.M. student at Dallas Seminary who has taken on the task of creating this free map resource for Bible study. The site… Continue reading
Does Easter Matter?
What difference does it make whether or not the body of Jesus remained in the tomb? The way in which you answer this question reveals a lot about your understanding of the Christian faith.
To many, Christianity is a religious system that has much in common with the other religions of the world. Most of them teach that we should live for a higher purpose, treat others well, and try not to be too selfish. In that case, what really matters is that the teachings of Jesus live on. What happened to his body after his death isn’t really important. Continue reading
FAQ on Christian Fasting
I wrote this FAQ on Christian Fasting several years ago. I decided to post it on my blog now because it is related to my article on Lent.
The Christian Church has a rich history of fasting. Moses, Elijah, Esther, Nehemiah, Daniel and Paul, fasted at crucial points. Jesus both taught and modeled fasting. Godly men and women throughout the centuries have used fasting as a means to draw near to God. Continue reading
Pentecostals are Here to Stay
The Charismatic/Pentecostal movement is here to stay. Get used to it. Earlier this month The Pew Forum released a new study titled “Spirit and Power: A 10-country survey of Pentecostals.” The survey contained a number of interesting facts:
- At least a quarter of the world’s 2 billion Christians are Charistmatic or Pentecostal
- In five of the nations surveyed (Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Kenya and the Philippines) more than two-thirds of Protestants are either pentecostal or charismatic
- In three countries (Brazil, Guatemala and Kenya) Pentecostals and Charismatics as a percentage of the total population approaches or exceeds 50%
Where does “Emerging Theology” come from?
No one exists in a vacuum, and everyone is dependent on others who have helped form their thinking. That’s why 9Marks has an done us a great service in their article on The Emerging Consequences of Whose Ideas? The article provides the reading list on theology from Emergent Village, considered… Continue reading
Physical Expression in Worship
One area in which there is a significant difference between churches is the amount of physical expression used in worship. Singing is one form of physical expression that virtually all churches practice, but apart from that how do we physically express our worship to God? There is quite a range… Continue reading
Evangelism and Children’s Curriculum
Dan Edelen shares his concerns about the curriculum usually used for Children’s Sunday School and VBS. The underlying assumption behind almost all children’s curriculum used in churches is that the kids are already regenerate (the theological term for “born again”). He writes:
Somehow we’ve created this sheen about kids… Continue reading
Da Vinci Code Resources
There are more than a dozen books and many web sites by Christians answering the claims made by Dan Brown in The Da Vinci Code. Some will question why anything in the book needs an answer, since the book is fiction. But from the start Dan Brown claims that… Continue reading
Individualism and Communion Cup Sets
Sometimes a church receives unusual things in the mail. I have a whole collection of sample pens with the church name and address printed on them. Today I received a sample of individually packaged communion cup sets. The grape juice is sealed in a little cup, with a wafer of… Continue reading
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