Taking Back Christianese: The Complete Series
This past Summer, I completed the ten-part series, “Taking Back Christianese.” Below is the complete and final list of articles.
The motivation for this series was that our Christian lingo–“Christianese” if you will–can sometimes be mistaken. Or at least partially so. It can attempt to express a theological truth that (sometimes) bring more confusion than clarity.
So, this series addresses the way we talk as Christians. It is designed to analyze a number of theological phrases or practical bits of Christians wisdom that may simply be wrong, or at least misunderstood. Or maybe both.
As a reminder, I am not be suggesting that the instances of Christianese below are necessarily… Continue reading...
My New “Go To” Commentary on the Pastoral Epistles
When it comes to finding good commentaries, one of the challenges is that most commentaries are limited by the the niche they are designed to fill.
Some commentaries are devotional. Some are exegetical. Some are practical/pastoral. And others are highly academic.
Rare is the commentary that can, at least at some level, address all of these important needs. While no commentary can do this perfectly (especially under 1000 pages!), some come closer than others.
One of those rare and exceptional volumes is the new commentary on the Pastoral Epistles–1 & 2 Timothy and Titus–by my friend Andreas Köstenberger. Andreas is the senior research professor of New Testament at Southeastern Baptist … Continue reading...
Veggie Tales, Moralism, and Modern Preaching
A number of years ago, my kids were into Veggie Tales. And, truthfully, so was I. It was actually quite enjoyable to watch these charming videos, cataloging the journeys of Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber, et al. Indeed, I could probably recite the opening song word for word.
The other day, my daughter Emma (who is now 16) told that she had heard some folks critiquing Veggie Tales as just “moralism” and not something Christians should let their kids be watching. So, she asked me what I thought about that.
This sort of critique reminded of an interview several years ago with World Magazine in which the creator … Continue reading...
Here is My @TGC Conversation with Nancy Guthrie about How to Teach the Book of Romans
When it comes to understanding the gospel of salvation by grace alone, there are few books more foundational than Romans.
It was Romans that Martin Luther was reading when the light clicked on regarding justification: “The righteous shall live by faith” (1:17). And it was Romans that Augustine read when he heard the child’s voice say tolle lege: “So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light” (13:12).
That very verse led to Augustine’s conversion.
The impact of Romans has been felt in every generation of the church. And, of course, we can’t forget Martin Lloyd-Jones’ legendary series preaching through Romans … Continue reading...
Taking Back Christianese #5: “Just Ask Jesus into Your Heart”
Some of us grew up in churches where it seemed every Sunday included an atlar call. Congregants were invited to walk the aisle and to make a “decision” for Christ.
During these occasions, very specific language would be used to explain how a person becomes a Christian. “Just ask Jesus into your heart,” was the common refrain, usually followed by an appeal to Rev 3:20, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if any one hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him.”
Thus, we come to the next installment in the “Taking Back Christianese” series. Our purpose here is to evaluate … Continue reading...