We've all been warned about the connection between pride and reading. Charles Spurgeon warned that "little learning and much pride come with hasty reading." Bertrand Russell once observed, "There are two motives for reading a book. One, that you enjoy it. The other; that you can boast about it." Alan Jacobs has similarly commented: “I think … Continue reading The Humility of Reading (or The Pride of Not Reading)
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
The Pursuit of Mutual Encouragement: A Mark of Spiritual Maturity
I hadn't noticed it until recently, but Paul says something unexpected in the first chapter of Romans. The apostle first introduces himself to the church (1:1), then underscores his theological and spiritual credentials (1:2-7), and expresses his genuine love for the believers in Rome (1:8). Paul longs to see these brothers and sisters, and he … Continue reading The Pursuit of Mutual Encouragement: A Mark of Spiritual Maturity
Age, Humility, and Discipleship
Discipleship, in the words of Mark Dever, is helping another person follow Jesus. Said another way (by Dever): Discipleship is doing deliberate spiritual good to another Christian. Jesus commands Christians to make disciples (Matt 28:18-20), and Christians should count it a privilege to come alongside others to aid them in their walk with the Savior. … Continue reading Age, Humility, and Discipleship
Using Criticism for Our Benefit: A Word from Charles Spurgeon
Toward the end of the first volume of his autobiography, Charles Spurgeon relays a somewhat amusing yet instructive anecdote of a time when he would regularly receive comments on his sermons from an anonymous critic. While preaching at the Exeter Music Hall, the "unknown censor" would send Spurgeon "a weekly list of [his] mispronunciations and other slips of speech" (533). Amazingly, Spurgeon's … Continue reading Using Criticism for Our Benefit: A Word from Charles Spurgeon
A Tough Means of Grace: Profiting from the Rebukes of Others
Our ability to receive rebuke from others is a quality essential to our making enduring progress in our spiritual lives. There are no two ways around this truth: either we will readily receive correction and enjoy the fruits of godly wisdom, or we will entrench ourselves against reproof and gradually harden our hearts to our soul’s … Continue reading A Tough Means of Grace: Profiting from the Rebukes of Others
Staying the Course: Humility and Christian Leadership
Rarely is humility exalted as a fundamental element of true leadership. Yet, despite what some popular leadership proponents may allege, an honest and discriminating look into contemporary business culture confirms what the Scripture proclaims: God is opposed to the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. Christian leaders, then, must make every effort to … Continue reading Staying the Course: Humility and Christian Leadership
From the Study 