I completed Gerald Hiestand and Todd Wilson excellent (and encouraging) volume The Pastor Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision about six months ago. If you are a pastor, I strongly recommend that you acquire and read this book. Below are my favorite quotes. Pastors are the Theologians of the Church: Despite assumptions to the contrary, the pastoral … Continue reading 9 Quotes from ‘The Pastor-Theologian: Resurrecting an Ancient Vision’ by Hiestand and Wilson
Scripture Alone in the Life of Martin Luther: Augustine and the Doctrine of Justification
Luther’s spiritual breakthrough from the darkness of legalism to the glory of the gospel came because he sought spiritual light in the Scriptures. The doctrine of Scripture Alone was implicit in his search for assurance. But as we trace the development of Luther’s thought, we see how his conviction of Scripture Alone enabled him to … Continue reading Scripture Alone in the Life of Martin Luther: Augustine and the Doctrine of Justification
Prerequesites for Teaching the Bible
A few weeks ago I offered three simple thoughts on teaching the Bible. While all of us are expected to teach the Bible privately to others, not all of us are called to teach the Bible in a public setting. For those of us who sense a desire and a calling to teach the Bible publicly, … Continue reading Prerequesites for Teaching the Bible
Diligence and the Gospel of Grace
In Tuesday's post, I argued from Matthew 25:14-30 (the Parable of the Talents) that diligence is an assurance of salvation issue. I also suggested that some of us may be struggling in our Christian lives because we have neglected to exercise our gifts and use our God-given resources for the glory of Christ and the … Continue reading Diligence and the Gospel of Grace
The Connection Between Assurance, Depression, and Diligence
A few weeks ago I took our college group---and later in the week, our young professionals---through a study on what the Proverbs say about diligence. The week prior we had all been laid low by the many Proverbs that condemn laziness. I began the lesson my noting that diligence is an "all of life" issue. … Continue reading The Connection Between Assurance, Depression, and Diligence
Spiritual Disciplines, Part 6: What Should We Be Praying About?
The Vital Importance of Personal Discipline Spiritual Disciplines, Part 1: Is Self-Discipline Unspiritual? Spiritual Disciplines, Part 2: The Priority of Bible Reading and Meditation Spiritual Disciplines, Part 3: Bible Reading: Some Practical Suggestions Spiritual Disciplines, Part 4: What is Biblical Meditation? Spiritual Disciplines, Part 5: Why Pray? ******** In the most recent post in this … Continue reading Spiritual Disciplines, Part 6: What Should We Be Praying About?
10 Quick Tips for Becoming an Excellent Bible Interpreter
Becoming a skilled interpreter of Scripture is not a complicated task. It is hard, but it isn't complicated. God does not hide the riches of his Word from the simple; he hides them from the proud and ungodly. Right interpretation, then, is first a matter of personal character and piety, and then a matter of methodology. … Continue reading 10 Quick Tips for Becoming an Excellent Bible Interpreter
From the Study 