“I feel thin…. stretched. Like butter scraped over too much bread.” Pastors can relate to Bilbo’s comments here. Pastoral ministry can wear a man thin, stretching and straining him. Paul expressed something similar as he dealt with the issues in the church of Corinth...
Three people get shoutouts in the Apostle’s Creed: Jesus, Mary, and Pontius Pilate. We hardly need to puzzle over why Jesus is included. It is, after all, the Creed of His Apostles. The Virgin Mary’s inclusion is likewise unsurprising; if you mention someone (after...
Over the past few months, I have witnessed a spate of curious memes on the pages of theological groups I am a part of on social media; perhaps you’ve seen them, too. The memes to which I refer are the ones that give headshots of various theologians, amongst which are...
The holiday season is a time for gathering with family and friends to enjoy a feast and express gratitude. But amidst the festivities, we learn a profound lesson from Jesus – the art of Festive Evangelism. Reflecting on Jesus' constant pleas and open invitation, we...
Ventura, Rob, Expository Outlines & Observations on Romans: Hints and Helps for Preachers and Teachers. Ross-shire: Mentor, 2023 I just checked my Logos Bible Software to find 160 different commentaries on the book of Romans, and another dozen or so on my...
In addition to a long, flowing mane, the noggin of English Puritan Stephen Charnock also produced a heavyweight, two-volume work on the attributes of God. It is considered by many to be “the work on the character and attributes of God.”[1] In volume one, he poses the...
Saheed Adepoju was born into a Muslim family with a mother who, although nominally Christian then, became more devout as the years passed. As a young boy, around 12 or 13, Saheed first read the Gospel, finding it easy to understand due to its English language....
In late December 2016, my wife, Dana, and I went to the optometrist for the first time in eons. We both needed new prescription glasses, and our vision insurance through my school was crying to be used before the year’s end. I knew that my old lenses were not getting...
The title of the 2000 motion picture Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a translation of a Chinese idiom that “describes a place or situation that is full of unnoticed masters.”[1] Keeping one’s skills hidden is a classic aspect of Kung Fu lore. In legend, the person...
In his autobiography, Surprised by Joy, C.S. Lewis tells the story of how he came to know God. It was not a pleasant experience at first. As he became aware that he was being pursued, he described feeling like a mouse fleeing from a cat and said he was “perhaps the...