Note to Aspiring Preachers: Here are Seven Key Pitfalls to Avoid
Preaching is hard work.
To those sitting in the pews, preaching can look relatively effortless–especially when it is done well. But do not be fooled. Preaching exhausts the body and the soul in ways that are incommensurate with its duration. I could work in the yard all day in 90 degrees of heat and (somehow) feel less exhausted than preaching two services.
But, it is not just the physical/spiritual toll that preaching takes. What makes it hard is the complexity of the task. Just standing up and talking for 30 minutes (and making any sense at all) is tough enough for most folks. But, on top of this, preachers have … Continue reading...
It’s Here! “A Biblical-Theological Introduction to the New Testament” Has Arrived
I just received a Fed-Ex package that contained the latest volume I’ve been working on: A Biblical Theological Introduction to the New Testament (Crossway, 2016).
This volume collects together contributions from NT professors at Reformed Theological Seminary, both past and present. I edited the volume and contributed chapters on John and the NT canon.
Other contributors include: William B. Barcley, Robert J. Cara, Benjamin Gladd, Charles E. Hill, Reggie M. Kidd, Simon J. Kistemaker, Bruce A. Lowe, and Guy Prentiss Waters.
I have to say the cover looks and feels great. Crossway did a fantastic job with the physical appearance of the book. And, I might add, they also … Continue reading...
Canon Fodder Has a New Look!
I am excited to announce that Canon Fodder has been revamped with a new look. When I started this site four years ago, I simply wanted a basic home page that would get the job done. And I think it has served its purpose.
But, like most things in life–whether our wardrobes, hairstyles, or color of our curtains–eventually an upgrade is needed.
The same basic features are available, but with a cleaner and more streamlined and updated appearance. The color scheme makes it easier to read, and the navigation is simplified.
The newest feature I will highlight is the new “Article Index” tab at the top right. This … Continue reading...
The One Area of Diversity That Doesn’t Count
Evangelical Christians have been making the same point for so long, we are running out of ways to say it.
We’ve tried the following phrases/statements:
- The intolerance of tolerance.
- There is a lack of diversity in the push for diversity.
- Those complaining the loudest about discrimination, are often the most discriminatory.
- Liberals are not really liberals, but simply want one view.
- Those pushing for all view to be treated fairly, are not treating all views fairly.
- The supposed quest for equality, is really a quest to privilege a certain viewpoint.
And on and on we could go.
The basic point is this. In the modern liberal push for diversity there … Continue reading...
Were the Stories of Jesus Radically Changed Before They Were Written Down? My Review of Bart Ehrman’s Latest
If one accepts the dating of some modern scholars, the earliest canonical gospel–the Gospel of Mark–was not written until 70 AD or later.
This means there was a gap of time of about 40 years between the life of Jesus and our earliest Gospel that records his words and deeds.
What happened to the stories of Jesus during this period of time? Since such stories were largely passed down orally, can this process be trusted? Did Christians change the stories along the way? Is it reasonable to think that Christians could have even remembered the details accurately?
These are the questions raised in Jesus Before the Gospels, Bart Ehrman’s … Continue reading...