I wish that would be Greek scholars spent a little time studying the Old Testament Hebrew word “hesed.” The word does not translate well into English and often is translated something like “lovingkindness” or “steadfast love.” The word has a range of meaning so it does not fit well to one English word. When we... Continue Reading

God’s message is a message about his Son.  God’s redemption finds manifestation in his Son.  The future Kingdom is brought to fulfillment in its specific character as a kingdom of the redeemed by his Son.  The work of angels is marked out by God’s redemption of fallen humanity.  The work of apostles continually unfolds layers... Continue Reading

I was with Laura recently when she joined Pastor Geoff Kirkland of Christ Fellowship Bible Church, others, and me as we proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ at Pridefest, St. Louis, an event advocating homosexuality. I asked her at dinner one night if she ever has any desire to go back to her former... Continue Reading

Popularly, critical theory is known as ‘cultural Marxism’ because it is thought to translate Marx’s idea of an economic class struggle into social and cultural terms. Instead of workers (the proletariat) being oppressed by owners (the bourgeoisie) via their control of the means of production, various subordinate demographic groups (women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community,... Continue Reading

I could try and pretend I read every day without failure, but that would only be pretending. Yet after a quarter-century of semi-disciplined reading, I’ve come to value the benefit of long-term Bible reading and want to meditate on it here to encourage other start-stop readers.   I did not grow up going to church... Continue Reading

If you were to ask the average Christian to describe what Heaven is like, you are more likely to hear descriptions of floating on a cloud than furrowing a field. The truth is most people envision Heaven as a kind of vague, disconnected state of repose—not to mention tremendously boring-sounding. It is true that our... Continue Reading

While we might like to believe our pastors are infallible, this truth can actually be an encouragement each week as we sit under their preaching. We can receive their admonishment, their correction, and their teaching knowing they are preaching and speaking the same truths of the gospel to themselves each week. We can rejoice that... Continue Reading

For spiritual warfare, the gospel of peace fulfills the same purposes for the soldier of Christ. The announcement that God reigns and has reconciled Himself in Jesus to believers sustains us in the long march of the Christian life. It allows us to keep going even when things are so bad that we doubt whether... Continue Reading

Alcuin’s education of the clergy aimed at equipping preachers. By the end of the eighth century, preaching was almost a lost art. It was left to the bishops, who were few in number, and preached mostly in their cathedral churches on feast days (not even on Sundays). Sunday worship included a simple reading from a... Continue Reading

God is not our boss; he is our father. He calls us into his work because he loves us and wants us to grow. Whilst he tells us clearly enough that the work will be hard, he also gives us grace to continue. God’s grace extends to us both in the sustaining ministry of the... Continue Reading