Learning to be “Out of Time”
It’s not uncommon. I’ve heard it from students I spend time with. “I don’t have enough time!” Whether it’s time for studies or time to clean up their living space or time to find a job or time to hang with friends or (what is more important to my way of thinking)...
With Him . . . But Not Really
I was walking in downtown Greenville and watched a couple strolling across the bridge. Not a young couple; clearly married for some time. They seemed to be "with" one another. But as I walked toward--and ultimately passed them--I noticed that they were both caught...
Perspecuity: Is it Really Clear?
Perspecuity. The word would appear to be inherently self-contradictory. It’s not all that common; it’s used in formal theological discussions. The word? Perspicuity. It refers to “the quality of being lucid, easy to understand.” But the word itself isn’t...
The Risk in Trying to Be “Relevant”
Perhaps you have heard a Bible teacher or preacher say something like: "We have to make the Bible relevant to our hearers." On one level, I fully understand. The teacher's best intention is to make sure that the message of the text is clearly communicated to the...
It’s Not About Just About Good Advice
The tendency seems to be quite widespread. In personal conversations, in popular books, and from Sunday pulpits, there appears to be a bent toward reading Scripture as if the Bible is a collection of good advice to make our lives work better. Texts are mined to...
Maybe . . . Try Reading
So many Bible study books, with long chapters and multiplied “principles,” imply you need to master some specific content before you can feel confident that you could actually read the Bible. It’s not that there aren’t principles to be learned, but too often the...
Getting to Know Jesus
I am passionate about having “a personal relationship with Jesus.” Jesus has made a way for us to have relationship with him. The life of a disciple is not about grasping the ethical principles embodied in Jesus’ life. To be a follower of Jesus, even in our day and...
And Now What? (1 Peter 2:1–3)
I don't really have a green thumb (more like a brown thumb!). I would like things to grow around my house, but it seems to be a constant challenge. But I have learned one thing: Growing things need food and water. You put sod down. You hope it will take. You long...
How Did That Happen? (1 Peter 1:22–25)
When we think about this life that we are invited into through the Gospel, we can find our thoughts turning to just how this new life came to be ours. Think about that for a moment. Did you respond to a message you heard preached? Did you step into this life...
Loving . . . Because of Who We Are (1 Peter 1:22)
One of the themes that continue to surface in my conversations with others is the difference between living because of who we are and living in a particular way in order to become who we want to be. It might sound like that's straining at wording, but it there is a...