Moving Beyond One-Dimensional Sermon Applications
Let’s just get it out there. Preaching is hard.
In the midst of all the disputes over preaching, this fact remains undisputed. Yes, preaching is wonderful and exhilarating. But, it is also exhausting, frustrating, and difficult. Whether a person has preached one time, or a hundred times, they know this.
Why is that? What makes preaching so hard?
I would suggest that it has to do with the nature of preaching. Preaching is not just delivering a message, passing along facts, or making a point (though it does include these things). At its core, preaching is something that calls for a response in the listener.
Put differently, members of the … Continue reading...
Some Recent Interactions with My Book on Second Century Christianity
I’ve been pleased this year to see so many encouraging responses to my new book, Christianity at the Crossroads: How the Second Century Shaped the Future of the Church (IVP Academic, 2018). Who would’ve thought people would be interested in the second century?
For those who haven’t picked up a copy yet, this book highlights what is really a forgotten century of sorts in the history of Christianity. Much attention is paid to the first century (for obvious reasons!), and by the time the third and fourth centuries roll around, the church is more established (which means more sources for scholars to study).
In between sits the “Cinderella Century” (as … Continue reading...
Coming Home: @RTSCharlotte Alums Who are Now Professors at RTS
When it comes to being a seminary professor, I enjoy not just the teaching but also the watching. That is, I enjoy watching to see how God will use each of our grads in ministry over the years. It is a reminder that our labor has not been in vain.
On that score, it is particularly satisfying to see former students turn out to be professors themselves. And even more than that, it is encouraging when they actually return to RTS and become professors in the institution that taught them.
In recent years, this has become a bit of a trend here at RTS Charlotte. While we have … Continue reading...
Are Christians Ignorant, Uneducated, Simpletons? Sort Of
Some things never change. At least when it comes to what critics think of Christianity.
When we hear modern-day stereotypes of Christianity we might assume that they are, well, modern. These are criticisms, we think, that pertain to the present cultural moment in which we find ourselves.
But, a quick survey of the earliest Christian critics shows that there really is nothing new under the sun. Even when it comes to complaints about Christians.
Take, for example, the prolific anti-Christian philosopher Celsus. Around AD 177, Celsus published his True Doctrine, a scathing, witty, and biting critique of the early Christian movement.
Celsus’ critique is wide-ranging, but there are … Continue reading...
Interested in Getting a Biblical Counseling Degree without Moving? Now You Can Do It @RTSCharlotte
This past week, I spoke at the TGC Women’s conference in Indianapolis. I did three sessions on a number of different topics, but the highlight was the RTS-sponsored lunch conversation where Melissa and I discussed why theology matters for women.
Afterwards, I was asked repeatedly about which degree program would be helpful for women wanting to go to seminary. Although all our programs are great, I think the RTS Charlotte Master of Arts in Christian Counseling degree (MACC) is a wonderful option.
What makes the MACC degree distinctive is that half of the 66 credit hours are in Bible and theology. Thus, MACC students not only know how to counsel, … Continue reading...