The Courage to Stand Against Daniel chapter 3 illustrates not only the courage of three young Hebrew men to disobey the edict of a power-hungry king to bow down and worship his image but also a reminder of the faithfulness of God to uphold his promise of deliverance for his people in exile. Growing up in the south during the 1970s and 1980s, I’ve known some whose attitudes toward people of color project a kind of moral superiority coming out... Read more
The Challenge The book of Job outlines the plight of a righteous man undergoing severe testing so that he may come out victorious through his faith in God. The first two chapters of Job set the stage for events to follow. Satan’s challenge to God that Job only fears God because of the material goods became the ultimate showdown to prove Job’s righteousness. Interestingly, God allowed Satan to remove everything considered valuable in Job’s life – his children, servants, and... Read more
Not Your Typical Boy Growing up, I never felt compelled to play football, get into fights or watch sports. Many years ago, people told me boys are made of snips, snails and puppy dog tails. Girls were made of sugar, spice and everything nice. So instead of filling the traditional role of a boy, I played kickball with the neighborhood girls and learned how to bake. I also loved hanging out with older adults to learn about their history and... Read more
A Novel Idea Novelty is never something you want to aim for when building your case for a theological conclusion. Pliny the Elder wrote that human nature craves novelty. We want to find that hidden spark or treasure that neatly puts a neat bow on our curious minds and solves theological problems for us. However, in our quest to make connections where none exist, we often infuse foreign ideas into Scripture to build a case for something that is too... Read more
Power Corrupts We need ministers, not leaders in the church. Admittedly, the words minister and leader may appear synonymous when referring to the organization of church polity. Still, the subtle difference can mean the difference between a healthy and a toxic church. The last decade witnessed the harm unchecked power and authority has within the church. Corrupt leaders have damaged the body of Christ and its witness to the world. Yet, in the Evangelical church, there is a strange fascination... Read more
Circumstances that Cause Stress The events of the last six months have unveiled an almost unending barrage of human suffering. Uvalde, Ukraine, and a major church denomination scandal had inundated the headline news. We struggle through an uncertain economic future as well as rising Covid-19 cases. Well-meaning friends encourage us to ignore current events hoping to salvage our mental well-being. Tuning out media may provide temporary relief, but our minds tend to veer back into the pit of despair. It’s... Read more
Threats to the Gospel As a student of the Patristics, I know the theological debates and controversies surrounding the Trinity and the person of Christ. Theological novelties surrounding these core Christian doctrines abounded as many new Christians sought to infuse their gnostic influences – sometimes forcibly – into the Gospel. The injection of such foreign ideas threatened Gospel fidelity and required thoughtful confrontation. I wouldn’t say I like the thought of having to confront people. However, conflict is sometimes necessary... Read more
American Politics and Christianity Christian Nationalism is not a novelty of the last 6 years. Evangelicalism witnessed a thrust onto the political scene in the late ’70s and early ’80s with the rise of the religious right. Jerry Falwell’s Moral Majority campaign helped cement the idea that evangelicals were too long on the sideline. According to the religious right, the nation was on a collision course to destruction. Affirmative action seemed a threat because it was the gateway to socialism... Read more
The Imago Dei and Humanity’s Purpose The first chapters of Genesis offer clues through key terms for how humanity should function. The Imago Dei presents a unique perceptive of our royal and servant status. Surprisingly, all humans bear the crown of royalty with the responsibility of ruling and subduing the earth according to God’s purposes. The first three chapters of the book of Genesis help us identify our relationship with God, each other, and creation. What distinctive role(s) did the... Read more
Do You Remember? The writer of Psalm 111 intends to evoke a response of praise and thanksgiving through the rhythm and cadence of the Hebrew language by shining the light on God’s redemptive works. Psalm 111 is a Psalm to remember! If you are of a certain age, you may remember the song, “Father Abraham” as a youngster, or you may have sung it to your children or a kids group at church. It is very catchy but also somewhat of an earworm... Read more
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