Linguistic Insight: haima (blood)
Posted: July 6, 2006
The Greek word haima (HI-mah) appears in various forms some 99 times in the Greek New Testament. Many English derivatives will be familiar: hematology (the study of blood), hemorrhage (a… Read More
Linguistic Insight: soteria
Posted: July 6, 2006
Soteria (so-tay-REE-ah) is the Greek word for "salvation, deliverance, preservation, release." Obviously our salvation is not only an event that took place in the waters of baptism, or "on a… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Basileus
Posted: July 6, 2006
Basileus (pronounced bah-si-LAY-yus) is the New Testament Greek word for king. (Often Latin and Greek words are similar, but not in this case. The Latin is rex, similar to the… Read More
Linguistic Insight: paroxusmos
Posted: July 6, 2006
Let us condier the Greek word paroxusmos (or paroxysmos), which suggests irritation or provocation. In Hebrews 10, this is not a bad thing. The English derivative is paroxysm, which as a… Read More
Linguistic Insight: wuh / vav (and)
Posted: July 6, 2006
The short Hebrew wuh (we), which must be prefixed to the word to which it applies, means “and.” But that is not all it means. It can mean many things:… Read More
Linguistic Insight: mathetria
Posted: July 6, 2006
Mathetria (pron. Mah-THEY-tree-ah) appears only one time in the N.T. This rare word is known as hapax — the Greek word for "once." (The word hapax itself appears 14 times… Read More
Linguistic Insight: hypernikomen
Posted: July 6, 2006
This unusual Greek word appears in Romans 8:37. The infinitive form, hypernikan (or hupernikan), could be rendered “to completely conquer, to be more than conquerors.”Many words in Koine Greek (the… Read More
Linguistic Insight: katakurieuo
Posted: July 6, 2006
Let’s take a look at the Greek verb meaning “to have power over; to overpower.” The pronunciation: kah-tah-kyoo-ree-EUW-oh. It is especially significant in the context of Christian leadership. The word first appears… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Bara’
Posted: July 6, 2006
Bara’ is the usual Hebrew word for create. It is found in the very first verse of the Bible. Some Bible believers insist on a complete instantaneous creation. But must… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Apolutrosis
Posted: July 6, 2006
Apolutrosis (setting free, release, deliverance) appears 10 times in the N.T. (Luke 21:28; Romans 3:24, 8:23; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:7, 1:14, 4:30; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:15, 11:35). It is… Read More
Linguistic Insight: terms for the Lord’s Supper
Posted: July 6, 2006
The following has been excerpted from my 1992 paper on the Lord’s Supper. There are five Greek terms employed in describing this sacred meal. As my paper argues, the early… Read More
Linguistic Insight: nomos
Posted: July 6, 2006
Nomos (NO-mos) is the New Testament Greek word for law, though it occasionally means principle or reason. Nomos occurs nearly 200 times in the New Testament, and 400 times in… Read More
Linguistic Insight: rabbi
Posted: July 6, 2006
Rabbi is found in Matthew 23:7, 8, 25; 26:25, 49; Mark 9:5, 10:51, 11:21. 14:45; John 1:38, 49; 3:2, 26; 4:31, 6:25, 9:2, 11:8, 20:16. This honorific term of address… Read More
Linguistic Insight: logos
Posted: July 6, 2006
This common Greek word appears some 250 times in the New Testament. Logos can mean “word, saying, message, talk, teaching, conversation; account, reason’ matter, thing.” Rema, a similar word, means… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Abbott and Costello learn Hebrew
Posted: July 6, 2006
Today we will have a little fun — and for most of us, learn a few words of Hebrew as well. Before the famous “Who’s on first” dialogue will make… Read More
Linguistic Insight: teleios
Posted: July 6, 2006
Let us consider the Greek word teleios (TEL-lay-oss). The word means "complete, perfect, whole; full-grown, mature (when used of persons). Among the places it appears in the New Testament are… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Asteres planetai
Posted: July 6, 2006
In his tirade against the false teachers, Jude employs the phrase asteres planetai (pronounced as-TER-es pla-NAY-tie), or "wandering stars" (NIV). This is interesting because the planets ("wanderers") of our solar… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Epoptai
Posted: July 6, 2006
Epoptai is the Greek word for eyewitnesses, from epoptes (singular). It is a hapax. Hapax is the Greek word for “once.” That is, epoptai appears only once in the New… Read More
Linguistic Insight: the Choices God Gives Us – by Dan Demshar
Posted: July 5, 2006
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his… Read More
Linguistic Insight: peace, by Dan Demshar
Posted: July 5, 2006
"Grace and PEACE to you…" (Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2). Ephesians 2:8 reveals an astounding truth that Christians have salvation by grace and therefore peace with God. There… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Fight the Good Fight of the Faith
Posted: July 5, 2006
What does it really mean "to fight the good fight?" To understand this idea (1 Timothy 1:18, 6:12; 2 Timothy 4:7), we first need to identify the "fight" to which… Read More
Apologetics: Islam at Georgetown and Harvard
Posted: July 5, 2006
(Used by permission. Does God Exist? March/April 2006, 30) Harvard and Georgetown Universities has been given $20m each "to teach about the Islamic world to the United States." Prince Alwaleed… Read More
Bible versions – by Toney Mulhollan
Posted: July 5, 2006
In 1588, a Catholic priest, William Weston, a critic of the Puritans and their movement described for his readers a large gathering of them which he observed at Ely, England:… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Deliver
Posted: July 5, 2006
There are a number of verses that contain the words "deliver" or "rescue," such as: * "Lead us not into temptation but DELIVER us from the evil one." (Matthew 6:13)*… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Faith is Being Sure of What We Hope For
Posted: July 5, 2006
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for'(Hebrews 11:1-2). Faith is one… Read More
Linguistic Insight: Teach Them to Obey Everything, by Dan Demshar
Posted: July 5, 2006
"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey… Read More
Praying With Paul Series, by Robert Payne
Posted: July 2, 2006
Intro: This is a series of seven lessons . Each lesson will usually include time for group discussion and prayer. The main aim is to work through seven of Paul’s… Read More
Apologetics: Chimps, Males, and Women
Posted: June 28, 2006
(Used by permission. Does God Exist? March/April 2006, 30) We have all heard that human and chimpanzee DNA matches are 98%-99%. If you compared a male human and a female… Read More
Greek exam
Posted: June 24, 2006
Do you consider yourself proficient in New Testament Greek? If so, why not take an exam? This short diagnostic will reveal easily whether you are as good as you think…. Read More
Apologetics: Stem Cell Fraud
Posted: June 21, 2006
(Adapted and used by permission. Does God Exist? March/April 2006, 29) There is a huge cloud forming over the whole cloning and stem cell research area of concern. Dr Hwang… Read More
Apologetics: More Circumcision Data
Posted: June 14, 2006
(Used by permission. Does God Exist? March/April 2006, 28) Biblical critics have always maintained that circumcision was a barbaric biblical procedure with no medical value. A new study by scientists… Read More
The Da Vinci Code Power Point Presentation
Posted: June 10, 2006
Click here to download The Da Vinci Code Power Point presentation by Jeff Chacon.
Gay Marriage is Eclipse of God – Vatican
Posted: June 7, 2006
http://en.ce.cn/World/Europe/200606/07/t20060607_7252031.shtml
Da Vinci Code & Bart Ehrman’s Books
Posted: June 7, 2006
Douglas: Yesterday I was discussing apologetics with Jordan Brown, a brother from Indy who recently graduated from Purdue. During his undergraduate coursework, he took several semesters of Greek and developed… Read More
Apologetics: Abortion and Pain
Posted: June 7, 2006
(Used by permission. Does God Exist? March/April 2006, 28) The latest issue in the abortion debate has been on whether babies feel pain when they are aborted. In the August… Read More
Apologetics: Peter Kreeft
Posted: May 31, 2006
Kreeft is Professor of Philosophy at Boston College, and has done much to advance the cause of apologetics. Sample his wares at www.peterkreeft.com. This article is copyrighted and is for… Read More
Apologetics: C. S. Lewis
Posted: May 24, 2006
Lewis was, in my view, the greatest apologist for the faith in the 20th century. Learn about this fascinating man’author of Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters, and many other books… Read More
Da Vinci Code
Posted: May 21, 2006
The following link will lead you to even more discussion of the controversial bestseller and now motion picture release: http://www.bible.org/page.asp?page_id=4014
German Bible Goes Politically Correct
Posted: May 21, 2006
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,2023998,00.html?maca=en-bulletin-433-htm
Alexander Campbell on War
Posted: May 17, 2006
To read his views, download AlexanderCampbellonWar.pdf (59 KB).
Apologetics: Josh McDowell on Evidences
Posted: May 17, 2006
McDowell is one of the best known apologists of modern times. Benefit from his thoughts by clicking on to www.josh.org. This article is copyrighted and is for private use and… Read More
Apologetics: William Paley: A View of the Evidences of Christianity
Posted: May 10, 2006
Paley (1743-1805) was one of the greatest Christian apologists of the 18th century. He is most famous for his analogy of the watch. (If a simple watch could not have… Read More
E-Sword
Posted: May 10, 2006
If you are not familiar with the following resource, click on http://e-sword.net/.
Coming Back to the Heart of Worship, by Jack Reese
Posted: May 5, 2006
Jack Reese of Abilene Christian University wrote the following excellent article. I found it in the Christian Standard, which is the leading publication of the Christian Church. Link
Apologetics: The Real Jesus of History, by Joel Stephen Williams
Posted: April 26, 2006
Material found and used with permission from www.DoesGodExist.org. The Real Jesus of History by Joel Stephen Williams Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events… Read More
N.T. Wright on The Da Vinci Code
Posted: April 22, 2006
Wright’s response to The Da Vinci code is worth reading. Click here. Many other works by Wright may be found at http://www.ntwrightpage.com/
Gender Ideology Harms Children
Posted: April 19, 2006
From the American College of Pediatricians. Read the article by clicking here. For a dissenting view (the other side of the issue) the next link is from Huffington Post’s “Queer… Read More
Gnosticism
Posted: April 17, 2006
The following website will help those unfamiliar with Gnosticism to understand this ancient (and modern) heresy, and to see easily why recent sensationalistic announcements about Gnostic documents barely faze the… Read More
Gospel of Judas
Posted: April 17, 2006
From Paris Murray (Manila, Philippines): For any interested, here’s the full meal deal on the Gospel of Judas thus far. Very fascinating — there’s a lot to learn hear about… Read More
Apologetics: Bug-Eating Snapping Plants
Posted: April 12, 2006
Used by permission from John Clayton (Does God Exist?) Most of us have heard of the Venus flytrap. We know it is a plant that eats bugs, and we may… Read More
Gospel of Judas: the developing story
Posted: April 6, 2006
Lately the media have been making a big deal out of the so-called “Gospel of Judas,” and even National Geographic is getting in on the action. This document, like hundreds… Read More
Apologetics: God Lives Under the Bed (John Clayton)
Posted: April 5, 2006
With thanks to John Clayton (www.DoesGodExist.org), 2006. We, John & Phyllis Clayton, received this as an e-mail from Ann Halford, a friend of ours and of our multiply-handicapped son Tim…. Read More
Apologetics: Hurricane Questions
Posted: March 29, 2006
(By John Clayton, Does God Exist? January/February 2006. Used by permission.) Hurricane QuestionsThe tragedies associated with the hurricanes of 2005 are fresh on Americans’ minds, and we want to express… Read More
War and the Christian, by Glenn Giles
Posted: March 29, 2006
War and the Christian Glenn Giles, March 23, 2006 To read the article (a word document), downloaded by clicking here: article (.doc – 36k).
Apologetics: Stem Cell Breakthroughs Clarify Issue
Posted: March 22, 2006
(By John Clayton, Does God Exist? January/February 2006. Used by permission.) We have reported consistently in this journal Does God Exist? that the use of embryonic stem cells in stem… Read More
Operation World
Posted: March 20, 2006
Excellent resource for international prayer needs:http://www.gmi.org/ow/
Apologetics: Exciting new archaeological finds
Posted: March 15, 2006
(By John Clayton, Does God Exist? January/February 2006. Used by permission.) Israeli archaeologist Eilat Mazar believes she has found David’s palace. A seal impression with the name of Jehudi, a… Read More
Apologetics: Taking on Dawkins
Posted: March 8, 2006
(By John Clayton, Does God Exist? January/February 2006. Used by permission.) The most vocal academic atheist in the world today is probably Richard Dawkins. He has written several books and… Read More
Measuring What Matters
Posted: March 8, 2006
Read the article from Christianity Today. It is an interesting discussion between the growing gap of what Christians believe and what they practice. Attached is a pdf.
Apologetics: A Help in Understanding What God is, by John Clayton
Posted: March 1, 2006
To help the reader comprehend the nature of God, I would like to borrow an analogy from the book Flatland, by Edwin Abbott.1 Abbott was a mathematician and the model… Read More
Building a Basic Bible Study Library, by Joey Harris
Posted: February 28, 2006
Building A Basic Bible Study Library Joey Harris Augusta, Georgia June 22, 2005 The best way to get to understand the Bible is simply to read it and to read… Read More
ACU Leadership resource
Posted: February 28, 2006
Click for Abilene Christian University’s ELDERLINK.
Family Circle: Website – Family Life
Posted: February 26, 2006
This month I am referring readers to helpful family centered websites. The website for this week is http://www.familylife.com/. This article is copyrighted and is for private use and study only.
Family Circle: Recommended reading – Devotionals
Posted: February 26, 2006
Regular family devotionals can make an enormous difference in your family’s spirituality, joy, and relationships. The Bible comes to life, its content becomes fun, practical, and memorable, when parents create… Read More
Family Circle: Website – Dobson
Posted: February 26, 2006
While you and I may not agree with everything James Dobson teaches, I believe most of my readers will agree with most of it! His website, the official site of… Read More
Family Circle: Recommended reading for marriage and parenting
Posted: February 26, 2006
Today we would like to share with you the "required reading" for the marriage & family element of the Athens Institute of Ministry. Marriage & Parenting: The Minister’s Family Life1…. Read More
Family Circle: Teaching Families to Fight Childhood Obesity
Posted: February 26, 2006
Credit: Healthy Weigh, March 2004, reproduced with permission. According to the American Diabetic Association, childhood obesity is on the rise. Twice as many children are obese today as compared to… Read More
Family Circle: Male-Female Communication
Posted: February 26, 2006
CONTRARY to what many women believe, it’s fairly easy to develop a long-term, stable, intimate, and mutually fulfilling relationship with a guy. Of course this guy has to be a… Read More
Family Circle: Allowances
Posted: February 26, 2006
Is there any biblical basis for giving a child an "allowance" — a fixed amount of money, typically every week or month? Indeed there is. "Whoever is faithful in a… Read More
Family Circle: Kids’ Ideas About Science
Posted: February 26, 2006
Kids’ Ideas About Science From the Boston Globe:The beguiling ideas about science quoted here were gleaned from essays, exams, and class room discussions. Most were from 5th and 6th graders…. Read More
Family Circle: Sitting, Listening, Asking
Posted: February 26, 2006
Today’s family lesson is from Luke 2, and was inspired by a sermon I heard this morning. The text of Luke 2:41-52 (NRS) reads: Now every year his parents went… Read More
Family Circle: Humor
Posted: February 26, 2006
CAN YOU HEAR ME? An elderly couple were having problems communicating. The husband thought to himself that his wife might be losing her hearing, so while she was knitting in… Read More
Family Circle: Working Mothers
Posted: February 26, 2006
“Working mothers.” This common phrase says a lot about our society’s concept of motherhood, doesn’t it? But since when did any mother not work? Motherhood is an enormously difficult –… Read More
Family Circle: Website – Parent / Youth Understanding
Posted: February 26, 2006
The Center for Parent / Youth Understanding, http://www.cpyu.org.
Family devotional idea: “Who Am I?”
Posted: February 26, 2006
One of the favorite activities the Jacobys have enjoyed in family devotional time is a guessing game. Although we have several variations on the game, I would like to describe… Read More
Family Circle: Book Recommendation – Adolescents
Posted: February 26, 2006
Kevin Huggins, Parenting Adolescents (Colorado Springs: NavPress, 1989). Link: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0891096973/thefireescapb-20/103-4257296-3363061. One of the best parenting books out there! The thesis is simple: to "change" your teen, change yourself!
The Family Car: Safe Driving Discounts
Posted: February 26, 2006
If you live in a country where you or your teenage children are driving, did you know you can save a bundle off your car insurance? A defensive driving course… Read More
Family Circle: Book Recommendation
Posted: February 26, 2006
Highly recommended: What About the Children?, by Lee Boger (Bookshelf, 2005). Lee is a Christian in Kokomo, Indiana. This article is copyrighted and is for private use and study only.
Family Circle: New book by the Jacobys
Posted: February 26, 2006
During the month of April [2005] Vicki and I are writing a book on parenting. This new work will cover principles, not just practicals, and Bible stories, not just personal… Read More
Family Circle: Parental Modeling
Posted: February 26, 2006
The following is an excerpted chapter from our book on raising children, Principle-Centered Parenting: Christian Parenting in a Non-Christian World. The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses seat; therefore do… Read More
Family Circle: Teenage parenting advice
Posted: February 26, 2006
Q&A 1050 – Teenage parenting adviceI’m a single mother of three teenagers, and have been a faithful and dedicated disciple for 10 years. (My children’s father is not at all involved… Read More
Family Circle: A Back-to-School Devotional (idea age range: 8-18 years)
Posted: February 26, 2006
In our part of the United States, school resumed on August 8th. In other parts of the country, children will not return until early September. This is a "back-to-school devotional,"… Read More
Family Circle: Listening
Posted: February 26, 2006
My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. — James 1:19 We want to teach our children… Read More
Family Circle: Website recommendation – Family Fun
Posted: February 26, 2006
This is a good site for families with younger kids. A recent issue discussed crafts, kids’ bedrooms, vacations, and games. Check out the link, www.familyfun.com. This article is copyrighted and… Read More
Family Circle: Love Your Neighbor
Posted: February 26, 2006
Jesus replied: "’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the… Read More
Family Circle: Quality Family Time
Posted: February 26, 2006
I would like to refer you to the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet (Family and Consumer Sciences) on Quality Family Time, HYG-5285-95, by Treva Williams. The link is http://www.a-better-child.org/page/875110 This article… Read More
Straight Talk about Kids – Sam Laing
Posted: February 26, 2006
IntroductionSomeone else can take our place in the ministry. No one else can fulfill our responsibilities as a husband, wife or parent.Scriptures like 1 Timothy 3: 4-5 and Titus 1:… Read More
Family Circle: Quality Time Idea
Posted: February 26, 2006
This summer, why not improve family time by getting rid of one of its biggest disrupters and destroyers — television? Far from missing the TV, the Jacobys appreciate the extra… Read More
Family Circle: Freeing Our Families
Posted: February 26, 2006
For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons made themselves contemptible, and he failed to restrain them. — 1 Samuel… Read More
Family Circle: Book Review – Sex and the Supremacy of Christ
Posted: February 26, 2006
Sexuality is an issue at the heart of the Christian family and God’s plan for a romantic love-relationship between man and woman. In connection with this, John Piper’s book, Sex… Read More
Family Circle: Children Learn What They Live
Posted: February 26, 2006
If a child lives with criticism, he learns to condemnIf a child lives with hostility, he learns to fightIf a child lives with ridicule, he learns to be shyIf a… Read More
Family Circle: Website – Family Health
Posted: February 26, 2006
For health information for the whole family, from the American Academy of Family Physicians, click on http://familydoctor.org/.
Train Up a Child: Producing Love in Your Children
Posted: February 26, 2006
‘Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.’ (Proverbs 22:6) LOVE We must teach our children love for… Read More
Family Circle: Children and Conversion
Posted: February 25, 2006
The following is an excerpt taken from chapter 13 of The Quiver: Christian Parenting in a Non-Christian World. CONVERSIONJesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not… Read More
Family Circle: Children’s Bibles
Posted: February 25, 2006
Children do not read at the same level as adults, and naturally their needs vis-à-vis Bibles are different to ours. Check out the following weblink. http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_sp?sp=58297&p=1008728 This article is copyrighted… Read More
Family Circle: Websites for families with autistic children
Posted: February 25, 2006
Ever since our nephew was diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome, my wife and I have taken a special interest in special needs children. So many families are affected by having special… Read More
Family Circle: 100 Best Books for Children
Posted: February 25, 2006
Here is a list of one hundred books selected by the National Education Association as great reading for children and young people. To help make these books more useful, we… Read More
Apologetics: A Little Science Quiz by John Clayton
Posted: February 22, 2006
1. If all the blood vessels in your body were laid end to end, how far would they go?(a) 100 yards (b) 10 feet (c) A mile (d) 80 miles… Read More
Apologetics: The Mighty Krill, by John Clayton
Posted: February 15, 2006
If you added up the total mass of each of the living animals on our planet, what animal would be the largest in tons? Would your guess be whales, elephants,… Read More
English Versions of the Bible
Posted: February 14, 2006
http://www.bible-researcher.com/versions.html
Apologetics: Carbon 14 — Friend or Foe? by John Clayton
Posted: February 8, 2006
One of the tragedies of denominational creationism is that it continues to produce a constant stream of radical creationists who turn science into the enemy and then attack it to… Read More
Excellence
Posted: February 3, 2006
AIMING FOR EXCELLENCE: “Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failures, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy… Read More
How to Deal with Worship interruptions
Posted: February 1, 2006
Wow! I think every evangelist and church leader would benefit from reading this article (from Christianity Today). It’s extremely informative and helpful. http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2005/004/14.89.html
Brothers, We Are Not Professionals
Posted: January 30, 2006
John Piper, Brothers, We Are Not Professionals: A Plea to Pastors for Radical Ministry. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2002. ISBN 080542620-5. Here is a book to make everyone think, Christian… Read More
Book Recommendation: Encyclopedia of the Stone-Campbell Movement
Posted: January 30, 2006
Here’s a useful volume on the Stone-Campbell Movement — from which sprang the Churches of Christ, Christian Churches, and Disciples of Christ. Click here
Book recommendation: Who Is My Brother?
Posted: January 27, 2006
Please read the excellent book Who Is My Brother?: Facing a Crisis of Identity and Fellowship, by F. LaGard Smith (Nashville: Cotswold Publishers, 1997), ISBN 0-9660060-0-3. Smith discusses how we… Read More
Apologetics: Why I Left Atheism, by John Clayton
Posted: January 25, 2006
Of all the lessons that I present concerning the existence of God and of all the material that I try to make available to people to learn about God’s existence,… Read More
Apologetics: Who Created God?, by John Clayton
Posted: January 18, 2006
It is easy to make an argument for God’s existence from a cosmological standpoint. As the years have gone by, a growing amount of scientific data has accumulated which negates… Read More
Apologetics: The Problem of Human Suffering
Posted: January 4, 2006
By John and Phyllis Clayton. Used with permission. And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, "Master,… Read More
The Theologian and the Evangelist
Posted: December 16, 2005
Read the article by Haddon W. Robinson. It is in a pdf only. Available Downloads: article (.pdf – 217k)
The Da Vinci Code and its errant beliefs — by Christian Arbogast
Posted: November 30, 2005
I searched the internet for a good article in English about Saunière and his treasure, and apparently it”s more difficult than in French, which is logical since the original story… Read More
Port Au Prince, Haiti, church leaders ambushed
Posted: November 30, 2005
Report by Anthony and Karlyn Battle – Tuesday, 29 November 2005Last Friday night, in Port Au Prince, Haiti, church leaders Reggie and Martine Lambert were ambushed at their front door… Read More
Spiritual one-liners
Posted: November 27, 2005
* Give God what’s right – not what’s left.* “Pray” is a four-letter word you can say anywhere – except in public schools.* Man’s way leads to a hopeless end… Read More
Reflections: Church Organization, by John York
Posted: November 10, 2005
In our congregations around the world, we are at the crossroads of Jeremiah (6:16): This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient… Read More
Ancient Athens: Gossip and Gospel
Posted: November 10, 2005
November 2nd, 2005– Opening lesson for the 11th Annual International Teachers’ Seminar. To read the whole article download the word document or pdf below. Available Download: Article (.doc – 45k)
TNIV Bible Study Series
Posted: November 10, 2005
Zondervan recently published a software disk for the TNIV that is currently available at Christianbook.com for $7.99. Since this translation is not available from the free e-sword.net website, I thought… Read More
2005 International Teachers’ Seminar Program
Posted: November 2, 2005
This is an update on the upcoming 11th annual International Teachers’ Seminar. The plan has now been finalized by Gordon Ferguson, Andy Fleming, and myself. We are very excited about… Read More
Russia & Ukraine report
Posted: October 26, 2005
Report on October 2005 visit to Moscow, Kiev, Dnepropetrovs’k, and Chernobyl.
The Difficult Child – Kent Brand
Posted: October 22, 2005
One of the most challenging family matters is the difficult child. Parents spend sleepless night worrying about the child who is difficult and often find no answers in spite of… Read More
Discipling and Related Issues, by Michael Cameron
Posted: October 21, 2005
by Michael Cameron February, 2003 Introduction The aim of this essay is to biblically examine the doctrine of “discipling”, for the purpose of reviewing the way we organise and structure… Read More
Church Autonomy: good analogy
Posted: October 9, 2005
By Robert Jackson, Sydney, October 2005 “I myself feel confident about you, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to… Read More
AIM-PHILIPPINES LAUNCH
Posted: October 5, 2005
Church leaders from 16 congregations converged on Manila September 21-24, 2005, for the much anticipated AIM-Philippines launch. Douglas Jacoby led nearly forty eager students, some having traveled four hundred miles… Read More
AIM Session VII Report: Chuck Lucas Speaks
Posted: September 5, 2005
22-27 August 2005 we conducted AIM Session VII, with units on Church History (10 hours), World Religions (10 hours), and Campus Ministry (5 hours). Students converged from Georgia, California, Colorado,… Read More
Perspectives on the beginnings of a Denomination
Posted: September 3, 2005
Perspective – on the beginning of the International Churches of Christ Report Speaker: Professor John Wilson The event: Pepperdine University, South Kensington, London on Saturday 20th March 2004. Hosted by:… Read More
The Center For Church Enrichment
Posted: September 2, 2005
http://www.acu.edu/ministry/centers_institutes/church_enrichment.html
The Culture of Disbelief
Posted: August 31, 2005
I have recently finished reading THE CULTURE OF DISBELIEF: How American Law and Politics Trivialize Religious Devotion, by Stephen L. Carter (New York: Anchor, 1993, ISBN 0-385-47498-9). Even though the… Read More
Discipleship
Posted: August 31, 2005
In a lengthy, but I believe worthwhile, article Bill Hull writes about getting “tired of discipleship because you don’t see it working.” –Roger http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/2005/003/6.26.html Excerpt: “Through my “dark night of… Read More
THANKS! Help provided: Russia/Ukraine
Posted: August 29, 2005
THROUGH THE GENEROSITY of brothers and sisters in Marietta, Georgia, as well as in Seattle, Washington, there is no longer any need to raise support. Everything has been covered. Thank… Read More
Update from Israel, by Aziz Sarah
Posted: August 25, 2005
Dear Brothers and Sisters, It has been a long time since I reported from Jerusalem. It has been very busy here in many aspects. First we had the Mission Trip… Read More
Summary of HOPE worldwide Volunteer Corp Tsunami Relief to Thailand
Posted: August 23, 2005
June 25 ‘ July 8, 2005 This year’s Volunteer Corp was led by Kritsada ‘Tiam’ & Julie Jangphiphatnawakit of HWW Bangkok and Jim & Debbie Mackie, Program Directors for HWW… Read More
Groupthink
Posted: August 22, 2005
The term groupthink is a kind of false consensus common to decision-making groups dominated by a powerful leader. The relevance of this article to congregational leadership will soon be apparent…. Read More
Scientists and Belief in God
Posted: August 15, 2005
This interesting article discusses belief in God on the part of scientists.http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8916982/
Biblical Pool of Siloam Is Uncovered in Jerusalem
Posted: August 10, 2005
To: “FABRIZIO CONCIATORI, LASALLE” Subject: Biblical Pool of Siloam Is Uncovered in Jerusalem Tue Aug 09 2005 00:09:33 ET Workers repairing a sewage pipe in the old city of Jerusalem… Read More
Women’s Role Reconsidered: Sisters on Staff
Posted: August 10, 2005
This paper “disappeared” from the website for over a year. Although the original was written over 15 years ago, it will still be of interest to members of the churches… Read More
Driven Men
Posted: August 9, 2005
DRIVEN MEN © 2005, Douglas Jacoby In Gordon MacDonald”s excellent Ordering Your Private World (Nashville: Oliver Nelson, 1985), the author distinguishes between the driven person and the called person. The… Read More
Book Recommendation: Once Upon A Tree
Posted: August 5, 2005
ONCE UPON A TREE If you’re looking for an excellent devotional book, let me recommend Calvin Miller’s ONCE UPON A TREE (Howard: West Monroe, Loiusiana), 2002. I’ve also recently read… Read More
Unity on Three Levels (2005)
Posted: August 3, 2005
A song of ascents. Of David. How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on… Read More
Rumor and Truth
Posted: July 23, 2005
Summer 2005This notice is to clarify a few rumors about me and my family. In May the Jacobys placed membership in the North River Church of Christ. Just as Athens… Read More
The Two Sides of the Cross, by Tom Jones
Posted: July 23, 2005
This material, with some additions, was presented at the New England Christian Conference. Note: Tom and Sheila currently reside in Nashville, Tennessee. As we make our way into this topic… Read More
Unanswered scientific questions
Posted: July 9, 2005
A brother in our congregation sent round an e-mail with a link to this article, about unanswered scientific questions. I thought you might find it interesting. In our self-confident world,… Read More
Love: What Does it Mean? – by Glenn Giles
Posted: July 9, 2005
To read the entire article by Glenn Giles download the pdf attached below. Available Downloads: Article (.pdf – 52k)
The Anatomy of a Hybrid
Posted: June 25, 2005
An extremely thought provoking book, one that students of church history will be sure to want to read, is Leonard Verduin’s THE ANATOMY OF A HYBRID: A STUDY IN CHURCH-STATE… Read More
Ministry Staff and a Baseball Analogy, by Gordon Ferguson [2005]
Posted: June 17, 2005
Our Current Movement Dilemma In the past two years [2003-2005], the changes in our movement have been monumental. Many of these changes have occurred in organizational areas, at the level… Read More
NET Bible now available for e-sword software
Posted: June 12, 2005
You can now get the NET Bible for the free software from www.e-sword.net. See the link below. http://www.bible.org/default.asp?scid=3
Leadership meetings: Of what did they consist? – by Glenn Giles
Posted: June 9, 2005
Download the .pdf (97.3 KB)
2005 ITS and BST : Athens, Greece
Posted: June 7, 2005
ATHENS 2005 — ITS & BST PROGRAMS If you’re contemplating coming to Athens for the 11th annual International Teachers’ Seminar (2-4 November) and/or the Athens & Corinth Biblical Study Tour… Read More
Rogue Valley Church of Christ Begins (Southern Oregon)
Posted: June 4, 2005
“Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin.” ‘ Zechariah 4:10 The Rogue Valley Church of Christ took off on May 1st for… Read More
Dallas report, 15 May 2005
Posted: May 29, 2005
Submitted by DFW Church of Christ On a recent visit May 14-15, 2005, Douglas Jacoby inspired the Dallas disciples to cast off old ways of thinking and challenged them to… Read More
Israeli-Palestinian Speaking Tour, by Aziz Sarah
Posted: May 17, 2005
US Tour by Aziz Abu Sarah It’s been two weeks since I have got back from the USA trip. I traveled around the East Cost. I was invited by different… Read More
Douglas Jacoby’s Teaching Weekend in Jamaica, by Camille Taylor
Posted: May 4, 2005
by Camille Taylor, member of the Kingston Church of Christ The members of the Kingston Church of Christ were treated to faith-building lessons and presentations conducted by Douglas Jacoby during… Read More
Churches Under Fire
Posted: May 3, 2005
From Christianity Today, May 2005, p. 21 “For the third year in a row, NORTH KOREA has been named the worst persecutor of Christians, according to OPEN DOORS INTERNATIONAL’s ‘World… Read More
Proverbs 22:6 Reconsidered
Posted: April 28, 2005
ABTrain up a child in the way he should go [and in keeping with his individual gift or bent], and when he is old he will not depart from it…. Read More
A HELPFUL CONCEPT: COOPERATION WITH GOD, by Gordon Ferguson
Posted: April 26, 2005
A concept is a general idea that encompasses a set of specifics. Another way of describing it is to say it involves getting the big picture of a topic by… Read More
Self-Starters and the rest of Mankind, by Gordon Ferguson
Posted: April 26, 2005
I recently had an experience and an insight from it that may be very significant to the way we are leading the church. The recent experience was going through the… Read More
The Sins of a Failed Leadership, by Glenn Giles
Posted: April 20, 2005
The Gospel of Matthew seems to be structured around five major discourses of Jesus. As such, Matthew 23 would come at the end of the last (fifth) narrative and immediately… Read More
The Da Vinci Code
Posted: April 18, 2005
So far, Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code is one of the most popular, and controversial, books of the new century. It is gripping, fast moving, and (to me) well… Read More
Report on Jacoby visit to East London church, by Ugo Ahunanya
Posted: April 1, 2005
18-20th March 2005 The content of the recent teaching weekend was excellent. The congregation needed doctrinal clarity on the Holy Spirit, and how to apply and live out Spirit-filled lives… Read More
Toward a Biblical Theology of Salvation, by Glenn Giles
Posted: March 31, 2005
Available Download: Article (.pdf – 492k)
1st Century Messianic Movements, by Glenn Giles
Posted: March 29, 2005
The purpose of this paper is to determine bona fide messianic movements of the first century. Many have written articles using the term “messianic” or “messianic movement,” but few seem… Read More
The Resurrection
Posted: March 27, 2005
EASTER LESSON 2005: Easter commemorates the resurrection of Christ. It also tells us about our own resurrection. WHAT RESURRECTION ISN’T:(1) The afterlife. Many believe in an afterlife who deny the… Read More
AN EXEGETICAL EXPOSITION OF DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9
Posted: March 25, 2005
THE SHEMA’: THE FAITHFULNESS OF GOD AS THE GROUND FOR THE FAITHFULNESS OF MAN: AN EXEGETICAL EXPOSITION OF DEUTERONOMY 6:4-9 BY GLENN W. GILES March 3, 2005 To read the… Read More
Book recommendations on healing and spiritual formation
Posted: March 10, 2005
This books list is related to past challenges, healing, and spiritual formation. Baile, Gil, Violence Unveiled, New York: Crossroad Publishing, 1992. This landmark work on how conflict emerges in communities… Read More
Golden Rule “Followership,” by Gordon Ferguson
Posted: March 8, 2005
Co-authoring a book like Golden Rule Leadership has been a daunting task. Which of us thinks we have perfected Jesus’ style of leading? Certainly not Wyndham or I. Our primary… Read More
Book recommendations: The Guilty Soul’s Guide to Grace & A Scandalous Freedom
Posted: February 24, 2005
Sam Laing, The Guilty Soul’s Guide to Grace (Billerica, Mass.: DPI, 2005). Following is the review I recently wrote for DPI: Effective and masterful command of the English language make… Read More
Report: Manila, Philippines, by Rolan Monje
Posted: February 1, 2005
January 2005 Douglas Jacoby’s visit to Manila was a breath of fresh air, a great start for the New Year. After his teaching time in Hong Kong, Doug flew a… Read More
A Balance of Power, or a Team?, by Gordon Ferguson (2004)
Posted: January 27, 2005
The past two years [2003-2005] has ushered in a time of unsettledness, upheaval, re-examination and uncertainty within most churches of the ICOC movement. Some things connected with this time have… Read More
The Heresy of Solitary Faith by Glenn Giles
Posted: December 28, 2004
December 9, 2004 In the last article entitled “One of the Unique Elements of True Christianity”, I outlined the Biblical concept of relational/experiential knowing (yada’) as a foundation for one’s… Read More
Our Uniqueness, by Glenn Giles
Posted: December 27, 2004
2004For many years I have been contemplating the special-ness of our movement in the area of the heart. When I came to our movement I found very special relational aspect… Read More
Nov-Dec Teaching Update
Posted: December 24, 2004
NOVEMBER-DECEMBER TEACHING MINISTRY UPDATE This is the final international teaching ministry bulletin of the year. The Jan-Feb 2005 bulletin will be sent out in six weeks. Happy Holidays to all!… Read More
2005 Biblical Study Tour: Athens
Posted: December 23, 2004
Through the years, the BIBLICAL STUDY TOUR has focused on a number of remarkable cities: London, Jerusalem, Paris, Berlin, Athens, Chicago, Rome. In 2004 over 150 persons converged on Rome–the… Read More
Human Nature, by Michael Cameron
Posted: November 29, 2004
October, 2004 These days there is a lot of talk about good and evil, and a great tendency to label and categorise people who act in particularly antisocial ways as… Read More
Some Thoughts on Preaching, by Mick Porter
Posted: November 28, 2004
Mick Porter, Brisbane AustraliaNovember 8, 2004Email: mickporter@hotmail.com "And now it is because of my hope in what God has promised our fathers that I am on trial today. This is… Read More
The Last Discourse-John 13:31-17:26
Posted: November 25, 2004
The Last Discourse is written by James Greig of Oxford, England. It is a thorough analysis of John 13:31-17:26. Attached is the Word document. Available Downloads: Article (.doc – 230k)
Rome 2004 report
Posted: November 15, 2004
10th Annual International Teacher’s Seminar & Inaugural Biblical Study Tour ROME, ITALY – Report by Steve Staten November 2004 Rome is called both the eternal city and the city of… Read More
Honest to God, by Henry Kriete (“The letter”)
Posted: October 23, 2004
Honest to God—Revolution through repentance and freedom in Christ February 2, 2003 How the Lord has covered the Daughter of Zion with the cloud of his anger! He has hurled… Read More
Meeting Needs within the Church, by Andrew Kitchen
Posted: October 21, 2004
1Now at this time while the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint arose on the part of the Hellenistic Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being… Read More
Chicago International Leadership Conference Report (revised for accuracy)
Posted: October 1, 2004
2004 INTERNATIONAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE Douglas Jacoby (Athens, Georgia) I’ve just returned from the 2004 International Leadership Conference in Chicago. Since the decentralization of the International Churches of Christ in 2002,… Read More
My Vision for the Church, by Glenn Giles
Posted: September 22, 2004
My Vision for the Church – Glenn Giles by GLENN GILES, September, 9, 2004 Available Downloads: Church (.doc – 50k)
To Forgive or Not to Forgive, by Aziz Sarah
Posted: August 8, 2004
To Forgive or Not to Forgive: The Heart Choiceby Aziz SarahSpring 1990 at 5 am: Israeli soldiers break into my home and invade the room I share with four brothers…. Read More
2004 South East Family Bible Conference
Posted: July 22, 2004
Like so many recent conferences taking place around the world, the Orlando get-together was superb for several reasons. First, those who attended truly wanted to be there. I was present… Read More
Motivation, by Gordon Ferguson
Posted: June 2, 2004
Introduction In Christianity, motivation is everything! If this statement is an example of hyperbole (an overstatement to make a point), it is only slightly so. God is not nearly as… Read More
Strong in the Grace
Posted: June 1, 2004
Tom Jones, elder in the Boston Church of Christ, has published a new book, Strong in the Grace. I have read it and highly recommend it. Go to www.dpibooks.org to… Read More
Eldership requirements, by Ronald Sawhill
Posted: May 7, 2004
Many people are asking this question, and have been doing so throughout all of 2004. The following paper, written by Ron Sawhill, covers the issues of Eldership requirements very well…. Read More
Do You Want to Get Well? by Gordon Ferguson (2004)
Posted: May 3, 2004
Introduction This article is a written form of a spoken message delivered on March 28, 2004 to the Phoenix Valley Church of Christ. As with the previous sermon, “What Do… Read More
What Do We Now Believe? by Gordon Ferguson
Posted: April 15, 2004
This article, by Gordon Ferguson, is based on a message delivered at church in Phoenix, Arizona in February 2004. He calls ICOC members (former/present) to understand how some things in… Read More
Discerning the Scriptures, by Jeff Chacon
Posted: April 8, 2004
“An Aid to Discerning the Scriptures” was written by Douglas Jacoby. Jeff Chacon refined Douglas’ article and used it in his congregation. This illustrates how a group of disciples who… Read More
Apologetics: Rome 2004: A faith-building opportunity
Posted: April 2, 2004
The challenge of evangelism is to make the faith real to those who are just coming to faith. We all know that spiritual things become real as one reads the… Read More
The Religion of Power
Posted: March 19, 2004
THE RELIGION OF POWER, by Cheryl Forbes (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1983) will make you think. I bought it in connection with my purchse of Francine Rivers’ AND THE SHOFAR BLEW…. Read More
THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST
Posted: March 15, 2004
Recently I have had the opportunity to view Mel Gibson’s blockbuster THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST. As many have asked me what I thought of the film, I would like… Read More
Francine Rivers’ AND THE SHOFAR BLEW
Posted: March 10, 2004
Many of my readers will be as enthralled in this 2003 release as I was. Rivers’ latest book is a study in character and leadership, and how spiritual power can… Read More
Abilene Christian Lectureship Report
Posted: March 2, 2004
A Conversation Between the Churches of Christ and the International Churches of Christ Note: Although I was not present at the Abilene lectureship, I believe a good few of my… Read More
Baltic Conference Report
Posted: March 1, 2004
February 13th-16th I was in Stockholm, the snowy city where our family lived 1989-1992. As always, the return visit was a joyous reunion, and it was heartening to see so… Read More
Middle East Conference Report
Posted: March 1, 2004
On Wednesday 18th February 2004, I met Middle East leaders from a dozen nations in a conference headed up by Andy Fleming. Though Arabic was language of choice, I spoke… Read More
Tokyo Teaching Weekend, 2004
Posted: January 16, 2004
Douglas Jacoby just returned from a teaching tour in Tokyo, Japan. Here are some responses from Christians there who attended: * “Thank you for your great lessons and insights. I… Read More