What is the “Gift” of Singleness?
PAPER • In 1 Corinthians 7:7, did Paul suggest that the “gift” of singleness is the preferable state of all believers in a fallen world—as has been argued by some—or the grace-empowered, voluntary celibacy of a relative few? This paper critiques the former view and makes a case for the latter, depicting celibacy as a special calling not superior to the enduring sanctity of marriage.
Read time: 12 min
How Could a Good, All-Powerful God Allow Evil and Suffering?
Q&A • The Problem of Evil is a wrecking ball to unthoughtful faith and a trust-building gymnasium to those who ask hard questions and persevere to find biblical answers. Here I reason that (1) if we unwisely rule out God’s existence, good and evil lose all meaning, (2) God has morally sufficient reasons for allowing evil to be, and (3) only an all-powerful God can (and has promised to!) redeem and eradicate all evil in the end.
Read time: 9 min
He Came to His Own
SERMON • Jesus divides history and humanity into two kinds of people: those who believe in Him and those who do not. When the eternal Son of God entered the world he had made, most people rejected him. But all, who by God’s grace, welcomed Jesus were welcomed into God’s family. The same is true today.
42 min
Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ
Book Summary • Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson, Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2009). Kindle Edition. 240 pp. $10.
Read time: 4 min
Theology Is to Marriage What a House is to a Home
ARTICLE • "By wisdom a house is built, and by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” (Prov. 24:3-4).
Read time: 4 min
Was God Morally Justified in Commanding Israel to Destroy the Canaanites?
Q&A • In the answer that follows, I explore the justification of God’s command for Israel to conquer Canaan by tracking the outworking of (1) God’s redemptive promises to Abram and (2) God’s just judgment upon the Canaanites’ wickedness, framing the question in light of both divine justice and mercy.
Read time: 6 min
Preaching in the New Testament: An Exegetical and Biblical-Theological Study
Book Review • Griffiths, Jonathan I. Preaching in the New Testament: An Exegetical and Biblical-Theological Study. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2017. 176 pp. $10.99. Kindle.
Read time: 11 min
Love Your Neighbor More
SERMON • Who is my neighbor? In other words, whom am I obligated to love? In answer to this question, Jesus told the parable of the “Good Samaritan,” possibly the best known and least understood story Jesus ever told. Join us as we discover the truth behind this famous parable and learn to see ourselves, others, and Jesus with new eyes.
34 min
The Absurdity of Life Without God: Meaning and Morality in a Post-Theistic World
ARTICLE • Notable atheist, Bertrand Russell, once opined that we must “build our lives on the firm foundation of unyielding despair.” Atheism provides no ground for mankind’s universal longings for meaning and morality. This article surveys the reality that one can either live happily or consistently with the atheist worldview.
Read time: 31 min
The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views
Book Review • Clouse, Robert G., ed. The Meaning of the Millennium: Four Views. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1997. 224 pp. Kindle. $11.15.
Read time: 12 min
The Difference in My World
Poem • This poem reflects on the ongoing relevance of biblical struggles in today’s world, urging us to personal awakening to a world in need of the gospel and a commitment to act in faith to make a difference for Christ.
Read time: 4 min.
Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible
Book Review • Dempster, Stephen G. Dominion and Dynasty: A Theology of the Hebrew Bible. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2003. 267 pp. $18.95.
Read time: 11 min
Is Faith in God without Experiencing Divine Manifestations Warranted?
Q&A • To skepticism about the existence of God, I here argue that (1) a universal sense of the divine and (2) a universal moral law are two of many clues that point to God's existence.
Read time: 6 min
How Can We Today be Sure that Christianity’s Claims about Jesus are True?
Q&A • One way to answer this important question is to show that Christianity’s truth hinges on historical events, especially Jesus' resurrection, which is supported by reliable New Testament testimony and corroborated by historical and textual evidence. Read on to see what I mean.
Read time: 5 min
Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity
Book Review • Pearcey, Nancy. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (Study Guide Edition). Wheaton, Il: Crossway, 2008. 512 pp. $9.94.
Read time: 10 min
Paul’s War on Error: Towards a Theory & Practice of Calling Out Harmful Ideas
ARTICLE • In confronting harmful ideas, many Christians get stuck in one muddy ditch or the other—peace-faking passivity or peace-breaking aggressivity. Using Paul as a case study, we seek Terra firma in the apostle’s theory and practice.
Read time: 7 min
The Primacy of Expository Preaching in the Local Church
PAPER • As tempting as it may be to try to replace biblical preaching with promising novelties of various sorts, nothing actually can replace biblical preaching. This paper gives three arguments for why and three applications for how to prioritize the expository preaching of biblical texts in the gathered assembly.
Read time: 24 min
From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology
Book Review • Alexander, T. Desmond. From Eden to the New Jerusalem: An Introduction to Biblical Theology. Nottingham: InterVarsity Press, 2008. 208 pp. $16.86.
Read time: 12 min
A Philosophy of Christian Leadership
PAPER • This paper makes a case for the biblical and theological underpinnings of Christian leadership, exploring key qualities and practices for effective leadership within the church. It integrates the Path-Goal Theory with the 4-R Model.
Read time: 21 min
The Best Things in Life: A Contemporary Socrates Looks at Power, Pleasure, Truth and the Good Life
Book Review • Kreeft, Peter. The Best Things in Life: A Contemporary Socrates Looks at Power, Pleasure, Truth and the Good Life. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1984. $13.10.
Read time: 11 min