A Trip to the Art Museum
Premise Together, the man and woman ascend the granite steps to the art museum. It’s early in their dating relationship, and though they are new to one another, they share old ideas. They also know they are in for something quite interesting, to put it mildly. The exhibit focuses on American art produced during and following the year 2000. Together, they walk through the galleries filled with paintings and sculptures, machines and...
An Introduction to Old Testament Textual Criticism
In the opening words of the book of Ruth, one finds a variety of readings between the textual witnesses. The Masoretic Text (MT) reads, “In the days of the judging of the judges,” but the Greek Septuagint (LXX) simply reads, “when the judges judged.” Moreover, the Syriac Peshitta reads, “In the days of the judges.” Though this example is relatively insignificant, it demonstrates the dilemma of the Old Testament textual critic. The...
Shepherding through Crisis
What do you say to those who are grieving through a crisis? I realize this question can come in different levels. This month marks five years in which I have served in my current ministry position. Each moment of grief in our church has looked different. However, the same basic words of comfort and hope found in the gospel are applicable in any situation. Make no mistake: there are hurting people in your church. People are tired of...
Preaching and Teaching James: A Collaborative Effort
Last summer I was talking with fellow pastor Ken Simpson when he suggested that we should preach through a book concurrently in our respective churches. Simpson pastors a congregation near mine, so we discuss Scripture, ministry, and life on a regular basis. After some prayer and further discussion, we agreed to begin a series on James at the end of the summer when members are settled back in town after summer travel. Brother Simpson...
Book Review: Faith Formation in a Secular Age
In early 2015, I remember picking up a then recent copy of Youthworker Journal with the headline article reading, “Why Theology Isn’t Enough for Youth Ministry.”[1] The author’s name was familiar: Andrew Root, who had also published youth ministry titles such as The Theological Turn in Youth Ministry and The Relational Pastor.[2] While I had strong reservations about the author’s thesis in the article, I have grown to appreciate...
Preserving Free Will Baptist History
The Historical Commission of the National Association of Free Will Baptists is charged with preserving and promoting the denomination’s history. The Free Will Baptist Historical Collection housed at Welch College fulfills a key aspect of this duty by housing the many records Robert E. Picirilli has spent decades collecting, organizing, and preserving. For the past three years, I have served as his assistant. The Collection contains a...
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