Mark WardI was trying to turn Psalm 1 into a singable song for the Bible club boys (6th grade on up) from the neighborhoods around my church. These were not young men with extensive church backgrounds and full-ride scholarships to elite Sunday schools. Their...
Paul BurkhartDo you have any rituals? My roommate gets up most every morning at around the same time, goes for a run, makes a French press of coffee and sits out our kitchen table and reads his giant red-leather study Bible and journals for a long time after. I...
Jake MailhotLast week, we featured two new titles in the Transformative Word series, Between the Cross and the Throne: The Book of Revelation and God Behind the Scenes: The Book of Esther. In this post, Wayne Barkhuizen, author of the Esther volume...
Logos StaffA seminary professor once relayed the story of an idealistic church member who complained that pastors should get “real world experience” before beginning pastoral ministry. The professor listened at first, but soon grew impatient with the...
Ryan BurnsThe seminary study tips that are important for doing well in seminary. They are taking advantage of the writing center, staying on top of reading assignments, and knowing the library well. It is important that to succeed in seminary that you stay on...
Ryan NelsonBuying individual pieces of church media lets you choose exactly what you want from the brands you love. But those purchases add up fast. If you recognize the value of using quality media to visually communicate the gospel, you still have to decide...
A few years ago, a good friend of mine spent months studying the way Jesus used the physical world around him to illuminate Scripture. Salt, light, roads, flowers, birds, and bread are all examples of concrete, vivid illustrations Jesus pulled from...
You’ve seen it plastered on tee shirts, coffee mugs, bookmarks and Bible covers; it’s cross-stitched on throw pillows and wall art. Its words have comforted thousands of Christians in their darkest moments. But do you really understand the...
The work of God’s Kingdom is never easy. For many ministries, crisis and chaos may seem like faithful companions. Facing the tension of this work is always challenging and it can be difficult to recognize God’s presence when the going gets tough...
Guest AuthorThis is a guest post by Peter Krol. A reader of my blog recently emailed to say, “I was never intentionally taught how to lead a Bible study, and, when the time came for me to teach others how to do it, I had no idea even where to begin.” Do you...
For several weeks I’ve been trying to End Bible Translation Tribalism. I’m urging Christians not to make our good Bible translations into rallying points or battle flags for internecine warfare. Instead, we members of Christ’s body should recognize...
In my town we had a radio station that called itself “the new 102.” The name was short. It rhymed. They added a catchy tune. Ten years later, they were still calling themselves “the new 102.” The New Perspective on Paul is just a little like that...
Though most of you are familiar with Summer term classes, many of you may not be aware that most seminaries offer what is called an “Interim Term” between the Fall and Spring semester and/or one between the Spring and Summer semester...
If you’ve been shopping around for church media, you probably noticed there are more than a few choices out there. You could wade through dozens of church media brands before you find what your church needs (or what you can afford). Maybe...
I enjoyed my Hebrew courses. I like languages. And one of the first big rewards of learning Hebrew is translating a small book like Jonah or Ruth. I say it’s a reward, because it is fun; you get a sense of satisfaction that you’ve actually learned...
When juggling ministry and full-time education, there are times when one will need to make decisions that lead to compromising one for the sake of the other. At times, it is easy to feel as if there are never enough hours in a day to finish all of...
I remember the first time my personal devotions finally started to click. After growing up in the church, earning a Bible degree, and working in ministry, I developed the habit of separating my “study time”—which I spent preparing sermons, lessons...
The New Testament’s use of the Old Testament has been described as the “master problem” of Christian theology. Jesus’ and Paul’s words on the subject are direct and, in a way, simple: Jesus didn’t come to destroy the law but to “fulfill” it (Matt...
Biblical theology is notoriously difficult to define. As one clever theologian has quipped, “ … everyone does that which is right in his or her own eyes and calls it biblical theology.” One reason for the confusion: a slim monograph on the...
When you’re trying to make a point, the way you talk changes. Maybe you change your rhythm. You switch from long, rapid sentences to short, slow fragments where every word carries more weight. Or you might drastically change your...
The tendency to emphasize the good of the spiritual realm to the neglect of the physical world has led many Christians to an unbiblical view of the world and a false dichotomy between the ‘sacred’ and ‘secular.’ —Kenneth T. Magnuson, professor of...
Daniel MotleyThe world is changing. Recent events have caused many people to stop and wonder why things are happening the way that they are. Science, politics, sexuality—all are moving in different directions at a rapid pace, leaving the church to wonder how to...
Biblical illiteracy, particularly in the US, is increasing at a staggering rate. Now more than ever it’s critical that the people of God not only read the Bible more frequently, but study the Bible. There are many ways to study Scripture, and...
Are good leaders made or born? That’s a debatable question with an unclear answer. Yet what is clear is that all effective leaders have one thing in common: they never stop learning and consistently adapt to leadership challenges. Natural leaders...
Avoiding discouragement is part of the battle. When the world looks at only using the scientific method and tangible evidence as the sole means of valid decision making, it becomes difficult to convince even believers that what God has designed you...
Jesse MyersPaul wrote Philippians in chains from a Roman prison. The letter reveals clearly Paul’s deep love for the church in Philippi, but even more so, Paul’s hope and trust in Christ even under such dire conditions. All this makes the book of Philippians...
If you’re like me, you had to make the difficult decision of uprooting and leaving a wonderful church to attend seminary. Others of you have chosen to stay local, have been commissioned by your denomination, or aren’t terribly particular...
I want people who study the Bible to stop asking, “What’s the best Bible translation?” and feel free to use all the good translations we have. It’s what I called, last week, Ending Bible Translation Tribalism. In my vision of the ideal world...
Many Christians believe that for faith to be authentic, it must be free from any doubt. While this may be an ideal, it’s far from realistic. Many characters in God’s Word—including Abraham and John the Baptist—experienced episodes of doubt. Though...
During my seminary career I encountered some very different and unfamiliar dynamics both in the classroom and outside the classroom. If you are struggling with feeling insecure at seminary for one reason or another, then perhaps you know what I mean...