My first short novel “Abandon All Hope” is now available!

My first novel, Abandon All Hope, is now available on Amazon and can be ordered here.

Comments welcome!

 

My 2nd edition of “Farewell, Rob Bell” is available!

This edition includes a review of Bell’s newest book What We Talk about When We Talk about God.  I’ve also included some comments on Mark Galli’s (editor at Christianity Today) article on Bell’s book.

My book is available on Amazon by clicking here.

 

DIVORCE! Another student paper . . .

One of the courses I taught this semester is entitled “Theological Methods and Issues.”  This was a weekend course, meaning that it met one weekend a month for four months.  We discussed all kinds of theological topics and the students produced two major research papers.  One was on a cultural issue (such as gun control in North America); the other on a global issue (such as theological factors in global poverty).

Some of the papers were outstanding and I’ve encouraged the students to seek publication.  I will be sharing some of those papers on this blog.

Please take the time to read these papers.  You will be challenged and encouraged in your walk with Christ!

The second paper I’m posting is on the volatile issue of DIVORCE.  [Bear in mind that my posting these papers does not necessarily mean I agree with their conclusions.]  Please click on the underlined word below to read this paper; feel free to post your comments which I will pass on to the student researchers.

DIVORCE –

 

A Call to LAMENT!

One of the courses I taught this semester is entitled “Theological Methods and Issues.”  This was a weekend course, meaning that it met one weekend a month for four months.  We discussed all kinds of theological topics and the students produced two major research papers.  One was on a cultural issue (such as gun control in North America); the other on a global issue (such as theological factors in global poverty).

Some of the papers were outstanding and I’ve encouraged the students to seek publication.  I will be sharing some of those papers on this blog.

Please take the time to read these papers.  You will be challenged and encouraged in your walk with Christ!

The first paper I’m posting is on the biblical topic of LAMENT.  What is the place of mourning, expressing our sense of loss, pleading with the Lord for His intervention, in our culture?  Please feel free to post your comments which I will pass on to the student researchers.

LAMENT!

 

Students’ Translating the Good News of Jesus: Example #3

Friends:

One of my great privileges is teaching theology at Columbia International University Seminary and School of Ministry.  In this semester’s theology class, one of the assignments for my students was to put the Good News about Jesus in their own words, avoiding Christian jargon.  They are then supposed to share that paragraph with one face-to-face friend and also with one online friend.

I’ll be posting some of these paragraphs over the next couple of weeks.

Here’s the third one.  What do you think?

God originally designed a plan that would bring Him great joy; a plan which involved creating a perfect world which He would run in relationship with humans. God created the world as an organic system that would function perfectly if the humans would merely follow God’s leading. Unfortunately, humans disregarded God’s input and tried running the world differently; a way they thought was best. Their foolish and arrogant choice to rebel caused immediate consequences; the breakdown of the system, separation between mankind and God, and pain instead of love. God has to punish disobedience because it hurts Him, it hurts the system and it hurts other humans. The system is still broken today because humans are unable to perfectly follow God and fix the system. This means that our separation to God will continue indefinitely, with each person eventually spending eternity in isolation. God wants to spend eternity with us, though, so He devised a rescue plan. God decided to came to earth as a human, perfectly follow the instructions for right living, and restore the relationship humans can have with Him. Jesus was that person. He lived a perfect life on earth, died on a cross to take our punishment, was raised from the dead three days later, and now teaches us how to follow God so we fix the world that we broke. The world isn’t perfect yet, but Jesus promises that one day it will be. He also promises that God will forgive us if we acknowledge our disobedience, ask Him for forgiveness and to choose Jesus as our boss, savior and God.

Questions:

1.  What evidences do you see of this world’s brokenness?

2.  How does this presentation of the Good News view the after-life?

 

Collins and Coming Out

The recent news of NBA center Jason Collins coming out as a gay is the cover story of the recent Sports Illustrated.

Several issues occur to me:

1.  The first is his statement:  “I’m a 34-year-old NBA center. I’m black. And I’m gay.”  I’ve asked some of my African-American students about the linking of their ethnicity with the campaign for homosexual rights and they are appalled.

2.  The second concerns the tweets of support from other athletes.  I was particularly intrigued by the tweet from Dwayne Wade of the Lakers when he said Collins is “choosing to live in his truth.”

3.  Not all in the sports industry support Collins in his homosexual lifestyle.  See this article discussing the viewpoint expressed by NBA reporter Chris Broussard.

Here are some of the tweets on this issue:

Questions:

1.  For those who read this blog, what are the primary Bible texts which deal with this issue of homosexual behavior?

2.  How can we who profess to be followers of Jesus lovingly express our disagreement with the homosexual agenda?

 

Students’ Translating the Good News of Jesus! Example #2

Friends:

One of my great privileges is teaching theology at Columbia International University Seminary and School of Ministry.  In this semester’s theology class, one of the assignments for my students was to put the Good News about Jesus in their own words, avoiding Christian jargon.  They are then supposed to share that paragraph with one face-to-face friend and also with one online friend.

I’ll be posting some of these paragraphs over the next couple of weeks.

Here’s the second one.  What do you think?

God sent His Son Jesus to earth to bridge the gap between God and Man.  He died for all of the bad things we have done.  We can have life forever with Him if we confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord and Savior. 

Questions:

1.  What is the role of REPENTANCE in coming to faith in Christ?  Some seem to think that REPENTANCE is optional.  What Scriptures show you that REPENTANCE is absolutely required for salvation?

2.  How essential is a belief in the DEITY of Jesus?  Can one have God the Father if he or she denies God the SON?

 

Students’ Translating the Good News of Jesus! Example #1

Friends:

One of my great privileges is teaching theology at Columbia International University Seminary and School of Ministry.  In this semester’s theology class, one of the assignments for my students was to put the Good News about Jesus in their own words, avoiding Christian jargon.  They are then supposed to share that paragraph with one face-to-face friend and also with one online friend.

I’ll be posting some of these paragraphs over the next couple of weeks.

Here’s the first one.  What do you think?

If we suppose there is a God, what is His relationship with us? If we suppose God is the creator of universe, the human being is the peak of God’s created work. The amazing thing is that God created humans in His image. The Bible tells us the real story about God and humans. Although humans had a perfect, intimate relationship with God in the beginning, sadly that human ancestor chose to rebel against God and was then separated from God. The cost of rebelling against God is death because God is the source of life. To be separated from God means to be separated from life. This is why every human being will die and there is judgment after death. But God loves humans so much that he sent his only Son Jesus into this world to save us. Jesus, the God-man, died on the cross for us. Jesus used his life to pay the cost for our wrong-doings. Everyone who turns from their wrong-doings and believes in Jesus, receiving Him as Savior and Lord, will not spiritually perish but have eternal life. The Bible is like a letter in which the Father invites His lost children home. Anyone who is willing to repent and accept Jesus will go home to heaven. The cost of not believing this Father’s call is going to hell where there is eternal separation from God.

Questions:

1.  C.S. Lewis said:  “Fallen man is not simply an imperfect creature who needs improvement: he is a rebel who must lay down his arms.”  Have you identified such rebellion against God in your own heart?

2.  Lewis has also said, “There are two kinds of people: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says [at the end of time], ‘All right, then, have it your way.’”  When someone rejects God and lives that way forever, what would you call it other than “hell”?

 

A Recent Sermon on the Topic “SAVED!”

Here’s a sermon I preached last week in a small church in Aiken, SC.  The series’ title is “Saved!  Rescued from God, by God, and for God.”  Comments welcome.

 

Four Workshops for the Conference “Iron Sharpens Iron”

Friends:

The “Iron Sharpens Iron” conference, which will be held at Emmaus Bible College in Dubuque, Iowa, May 23-25, is an excellent opportunity for church leaders to network with other leaders and be challenged on this year’s topic “The Glory of the Gospel.”  The conference website for registration and further information is here.

The plenary speaker is Dr. Don Carson of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  Don has produced much work on this topic and his sermons can be found here.

I’m scheduled to present four workshops which I want to describe to you in the next few posts.  Here are the titles of my workshops:

The first workshop, “None Dare Call It Heresy: Substitute Gospels and Their Evangelists,” is a study of the concept of heresy in the Scriptures.  Some of the material in this workshop will come from my four Emmaus Journal articles entitled “Whatever Happened to Heresy?”  Those four articles are being published as a small book and will be available soon.

Just one thought on this first workshop:  We live in a culture addicted to choices.  But as Dr. Barry Schwartz points out in his book The Paradox of Choice: Why More Is Less, having numerous choices is not always best.  The term “heresy” means choice.  Those who choose to believe alternative gospels need to be challenged from the Scriptures.  The Apostle Paul warns Timothy:

¹⁶ Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. ¹⁷ Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, ¹⁸ who have departed from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some. ¹⁹ Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: “The Lord knows those who are his,” and, “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” (2 Tim. 2)

Questions:

1.  What contemporary Christian writers come to your mind when you think of the term “heresy”?

2.  While violence against heretics is not condoned in the Scriptures, what are some steps we can take to minimize the damage such teachers do?

Here is a great blog about the Boston tragedy.  Please read it.