The Value of Structured Discipleship
Occasionally, I hear the statement, “You don’t necessarily need a degree to be qualified for ministry.” As someone who has invested the last eight years of life in Christian higher education as a student, this assertion has always caught me off guard. The statement is most certainly true, but I fear the motivation behind the claim is often misguided. I must admit that most of my college studies have not led me to praise God. Not until...
The ERLC, Marriage, and Ministry: A Conversation with Ray Ortlund, Jr.
On Tuesday, January 17, 2017, I had the opportunity to attend an Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission Leadership luncheon in Nashville, Tennessee. Approximately sixty-five local leaders sat around tables, discussing life, marriage, ministry, politics, and more. Chuy’s catered. The guest of honor was Ray Ortlund, whom ERLC president Russell Moore interviewed on the topic of marriage. Before the interview began, Moore introduced...
Destroyer of the gods: A Review
Early Christians were strange people in the eyes of Roman citizens. That was due in large part to their distinctive practices. Larry Hurtado,[1] in his newest book Destroyer of the gods (Baylor University Press, 2016), presents a fascinating, two-fold argument. First, he contends that early Christian worship practices were markedly different from all other Roman religions, cults, and philosophical societies. Second, Hurtado argues...
An Imaginative Inheritance: Chesterton’s Influence on Lewis and Tolkien
by Frank Thornsbury What brings an author to create what he creates? What, beyond sheer skill, brings him to the dimensions of his worlds or to the complex personalities of his characters? Imagination is the answer. Without a cultivated store of traditions, principles, ideas, and other influences the artist is an animal, a being with five senses and some rote faculties by which to categorize sense data. Indeed, our ability to be...
Pets: A Christian Perspective
In 2015, my wife and I acquired our first pets. We debated different animals—a dog, a cat, or maybe something exotic like a chinchilla. Following months of discussion, we found ourselves at the local farm supply store one rainy evening. After staring at cages for an hour, and negotiating yet more, we left with two, six-week-old, American Chinchilla bunnies.* Brownie and Lucky have been quite an adventure. Though we’ve heard stories...
Recommended Books (Winter 2017)
The New Year is always full of reading possibilities. If you’re like us, reading time comes at a premium and can’t be wasted on poor selections. Below are some of our favorite titles from the past quarter that we think were worth the time. Hopefully you’ll find some of your old favorites here and some new titles for consideration. Be sure to let us know what you’ve been reading in the comments section. ____________________ Christopher...
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