Logos StaffDoes God give instruction on godly stewardship in the Bible? The short answer is yes. The Bible tells us that “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and at the heart of God’s all-encompassing love is generosity. As we seek to help the people we lead to...
Guest AuthorBy Justin Eimers Introduction The influence of Cyprian of Carthage is felt to this day in some of the doctrines and theologies of the Roman Catholic Church on penance and church unity. Many have believed that because of this influence Protestants...
Grant Fishbook started preaching full time in 2003, but every few years, he’d discover that he wasn’t connecting with the modern audience. At first, he thought maybe he was the problem—maybe he wasn’t doing something right, or maybe he...
Murray J. HarrisI will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will have been loosed in heaven. (Matt 16:19 CSB) Truly I tell you, whatever you bind on earth will...
Lexham PressJesus made seven statements about being the “bread from heaven,” but the first one might be the biggest head-scratcher: I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will...
Pastors are people, too. It’s such a basic, “Of course!” truth, yet it so easily slips from Christians’ minds. Like “Dad” or “Mom,” a pastor’s position becomes their name. So even as the world is more and more abuzz with talk of mental health...
Peter KrolAs college sophomores, my three closest friends and I believed we were God’s gift to the small congregation we had decided to join. Sure, in addition to the many elderly congregants, there were a few young families in the membership. But we were...
In this excerpt adapted from the course Church Leadership and Strategy for the Care of Souls, by Harold L. Senkbeil and Dr. Lucas Woodford, Senkbeil explores the two stages of pastoral burnout—what he calls “pastoral depletion syndrome”—and how to...
By Andre Kazadayev and Derek Fekkes Do you want your worship team to love serving with you? Here’s one big thing to pay attention to—rehearsals. Since a worship team spends so much time rehearsing, how your worship band, A/V team, and vocalists feel...
Pastors, how many times a day do you get interrupted when you’re trying to prep for a sermon? Your concentration killers may not be this dramatic . . . But you’d probably still love to keep out of their way. Sign up by June 30 for your chance to win...
The meaning of “binding and loosing” in Matthew 16:19 has caused many students of the Bible to scratch their heads: I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on...
DidaktikosLISSA M. WRAY BEAL | PROVIDENCE UNIVERSITY The Old Testament speaks of the importance of memory. For instance, Deuteronomy repeatedly calls for remembrance (5:15; 7:18; 8:18 et passim), Israel recounts its history in Psalms (105, 106), and failure...
angel [ eyn-juhl ] Also called: Angel of the Lord, Cherubim, Seraphim Messenger of God or supernatural being with superhuman powers. Top Bible Verses about Angels Numbers 22:21–35 So Balaam got up in the morning and saddled his...
Bible Study MagazineChristians pray for their enemies—but should they also pray against them? Consider two verses. Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44). But David says—of an enemy—“Let there be none who extend to him loyal...
Christopher Croom | Columbia International University Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (John 18:38) Introduction This famous portion of Scripture that has been rendered as a standalone verse is directly related to the crucifixion scene of...
Mary JahnkeThere seem to be countless sermon illustrations on faith—but some are better than others. Find six memorable ones below! 1. Sermon illustration on enduring faith From Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes: Faith honors...
Karen EngleThe beauty of sermon writing is that there’s no set methodology. True, many pastors use similar tried-and-true techniques, but ultimately, the process is unique to each pastor. Some preachers start the process at the beginning of the week and tackle...
This post is lightly adapted from “Preach to the outer edges” by Patricia Batten in Preaching Points: 55 Tips for Improving Your Pulpit Ministry, edited by Scott M. Gibson (Lexham Press, 2016).
C. S. Lewis quotes from the author’s popular fantasy and apologetics books, like the beloved Chronicles of Narnia series, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity might just be some of the most oft-referenced quotes for Christians. Born...
Exegesis is the most comprehensive form of Bible study. It gathers together nearly every Bible study task—word studies, translation comparison, research, and more—for a thorough examination of a biblical passage. While there is no singular process...
Ryan NelsonIn Every Square Inch, Dr. Bruce Riley Ashford surveys a variety of perspectives on the relationship between Christianity and culture. According to Ashford, the conversation boils down to these three main views: 1. Christianity against culture This...
Tavis Bohlinger"Rather than reflecting Beauty, we must look at and listen to and feel every object of beauty as nothing more than imprints of divine creatio ex nihilo."
Mark WardI was absolutely shocked. At the top of my NT Introduction paper on Jewish Institutions of New Testament Times was a “B+”—but that wasn’t the shocker. I was only just starting seminary, and I didn’t have the hang of things yet. What shocked me was...
Jonathan T. PenningtonIn the practice of preaching, is there an effective method for how to start a sermon that will grab (and help keep) your listener’s attention? In his book Small Preaching: 25 Little Things You Can Do Now to Become a Better Preacher, available now...
What Bible study methods are the best? First, what’s important is not how you engage with the Bible but that you do it. Because the Word of God is “living and active” (Heb 4:12)—how God chose to communicate with the people he created—the simple act...
Dispensationalism is a theological system for interpreting the Bible that views the history of God’s engagement with humanity as divisible into typically seven distinct periods. The system relies upon a literal hermeneutic and the recognition of...
Mark S. Gignilliat | Beeson Divinity School The proverbial mid-life whatever-you-wish-to-call-it exists in one form or another, and the academic is especially vulnerable. The hamster’s wheel of academic life can charm and dull at the same time. In...
A group of European designers recently released something called Bible The. They took all the words of the King James Bible and rearranged them in alphabetical order. Bible The—get it? Bible The presents 18 pages of the word “shall,” one instance of...
Michael S. HeiserWho are the Nephilim? In the sixth chapter of Genesis, we’re confronted with a curious reference to the Nephilim. Who are they? Were they a race who came to be through the mingling of divine beings and the daughters of men? Were the Nephilim...
Elisha’s healing of Naaman in the Bible (the leper [and] commander of the army of the king of Syria) is a familiar story to many (2 Kgs 5:1–27). Naaman hears that Elisha, the prophet of Israel, can heal him, so he makes the trip. When the two meet...