What We Are Missing in Spiritual Maturity
Post-modernity has propagated a plethora of pitfalls for the Christian faith, both on a practical level and in the realm of ideas. Immaturity is an important consequence of this philosophy. While there are biological components to the life stages, more often they are matters of cultural construction. Since culture shapes maturity and post-modern standards are wholly arbitrary, godly maturity increasingly is lost in our culture. This...
Is It Really Necessary to Learn the Original Languages?
At times, I occasionally run across someone who says something to this accord: “You don’t really need to know Greek and Hebrew in order to teach and preach God’s Word. A pastor or teacher is not going to do an exhaustive exegesis of the passage in a thirty-or-so minute sermon or Bible lesson. Besides, the commentaries will tell you everything you need to know.” Such a statement is disheartening. While interaction with the biblical...
How God’s Attributes Shape Man’s View of Ecclesiology
The Church, above all else, should mirror the character and attributes of God. Sadly many churches do not. Instead of appealing to God, they focus on that which the target group desires. What is the newest and trendiest thing the church down the road is doing? What is the largest church in your movement practicing? What’s new in television ministries? In sum, pastors, teachers, laymen, students, and Christians in general are...
When Hatred Is Close and Benevolence Is Far
Individuals, corporations, and churches have learned to respond quickly to natural disasters, epidemics, and other tragedies in the 21st century. Recent events in Haiti, Chile, Turkey, and elsewhere have reminded us of the power of nature to bring havoc to human experience. Sorrow has been witnessed in unprecedented ways. Yet amid that sorrow, it is beautiful to see Christ’s church all around the globe rushing to offer their money,...
Greek Tragedies & Christian Churches: Musings and Observations
Modern-day generations tend to think in groups and categories. This tendency, while helpful for critical analysis, has its dangers, however. When notions that are otherwise connected in an organic way are split apart, harmful consequences may follow—the relationship between substance and form, for example. As evident in biblical and extra-biblical precedent, notions of substance and form are intricately related. Some critics object to...
The Church and the Pragmatic Impulse
Those who have a vested claim in Christ’s kingdom have the crucial task of discerning the voice of the Spirit amid the whispers of the world. All true servants of Christ are interested in the same thing: serving the church and fulfilling the Great Commission. Along the way, however, questions arise concerning the means to that end. It would seem that the truly spiritual mantra “whatever it takes” says it all and in many ways, this...
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