A dictionary is a handy tool for Bible study. As we encounter unfamiliar words or, more often, as we try to meditate on the deeper meanings of words in scripture, we often find ourselves reaching for this tool. But there are some pitfalls here. It is possible to misuse the dictionary and be misled by it. To avoid these pitfalls, we must remember two important … [Read more...] about How to Use a Bible Dictionary
Articles
The Importance of Singing in Spiritual Formation
Andy Crouch (2017) makes an interesting point about the wholistic nature of singing and its contribution to our spiritual formation: Worship is more than singing, of course. But there is something about singing that is fundamental to Jewish and Christian worship - starting with the Psalms, continuing with the hymns that grew out of the early church and the renewal and … [Read more...] about The Importance of Singing in Spiritual Formation
Did Jesus Really Think He Was God?
This is a question many folks ask. And the main pushback comes from the fact that, at first glance, nowhere in the Gospel accounts (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John) does Jesus make the exact statement "I am God." But there is more than one way to claim divinity, and Jesus makes many direct and indirect claims about being divine. One of the best summaries of these claims I … [Read more...] about Did Jesus Really Think He Was God?
Crouch on Solitude
Andy Crouch (2017) on solitude, silence, and fasting: The central disciplines of the spiritual life, as taught by generations of Christian saints, have stayed the same for twenty centuries now: solitude, silence, and fasting. Each of these pushes us beyond our natural limits, and all of them give us spiritual resources for everyday life that we can't gain any other way.Very … [Read more...] about Crouch on Solitude
Glacial Goals
Big hairy audacious goals. BHAGS. This is the language of leadership literature. You should have big hairy audacious goals. But I am not so sure. Something Small Maybe God wants you to do something small this year. Invest in your neighbor. Finish that book. Improve that one skill in ministry. Focus on that family member. Tend that little plot of earth God has given you. … [Read more...] about Glacial Goals