Latest Posts

Join us for a conversation. Common Grounds Unity presents this conversation with Dr. Nick Zola & Dr. Douglas Jacoby on Saturday, March 20. Details on the flyer. Zoom meeting link… Read More

The following contribution is from J. Tyrone Marcus, author of Unbeatable! Seven Pillars of Personal Excellence and co-teacher in the Damian Jean-Baptiste Caribbean School of Ministry. You can follow his… Read More

Hugh Hewitt begins In, But Not Of—his wonderful handbook for cultivating one’s professional life as a force for Christ—with these words: The effective and mass communication of the gospel depends upon… Read More

Written by Clint Mosley, February 27, 2021 As we close out Black History month, I will call our attention to a pair of individuals who embodied an exemplary posture of… Read More

What was Jesus’s approach to politics? And what are the implications for us today? Opening thoughts     Politics is the management of power. Dictionary def: “the activities associated with the governance… Read More

Dr. Francis Collins, NIH Director and founder of BioLogos, receives the Moderna COVID-19 vaccinee. Should you get the COVID vaccine? Many Christians are saying “no” or “not yet.” Here are… Read More

February 2021 If Jesus is God, and Jesus is praying to God, then Jesus must be praying . . . to himself. Well, if that’s what you think, this video… Read More

From Wikipedia: “Panentheism (‘all in God’), from the Greek πᾶν, pân, ‘all,’ ἐν, en, ‘in,’ and Θεός, theós, ‘God’) is the belief that the divine pervades and interpenetrates every part… Read More

This world has so many problems. We try to solve them through political means and through our freedoms to protest—and even aggressively comment about our leaders. When we think about… Read More

“As you can no doubt imagine, we often say in despair, ‘What’s the point of the war? Why, oh, why can’t people live together peacefully? Why all this destruction?’ “The… Read More

I recently came across something claiming to be “The Very First Bible.” It claims to be an authentic translation. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this—whether we need to know… Read More

Listen to The Dangers of Critical Theory from Reasonable Faith Podcast on Apple Podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dangers-of-critical-theory/id252618197?i=1000451243699

Review: ‘Irreversible Damage’ by Abigail Shrier JANUARY 29, 2021  |  SHARON JAMES “Dancing mania” hit the city of Strasbourg in 1518, and some people danced until they died of exhaustion. Numerous children… Read More

Would you appreciate some direction and structure for your daily quiet time? How about a timely dive into the most cited prophet in the New Testament—Isaiah? Try to remember that… Read More

The Glory of the Lord We’ve covered a lot of territory—66 chapters of the Word of God (5.5% of the entire Bible), rich in content, metaphor, and power. As we… Read More

Social media has become an inferno of insults and anger. And sometimes even professing Christians add to the rage without thinking about the foolishness of spewing verbal abuses. We need… Read More

No Eye Has Seen, No Ear Has Heard… The people’s prayer, which began in chapter 63, continues… 64:7—The Jews request Yahweh to come in judgment / vindication. Touching the mountaintops alludes… Read More

Plandemic? QAnon? Bill Gates creating COVID-19? As the novel coronavirus has traveled around the world, so too have conspiracy theories about the origins of the disease and the winners and… Read More

If you had asked me ten years ago whether evangelicals would ever give up ground on the issue of homosexuality, I would have said “no way!” Sure, the evangelical movement… Read More

Trampling Out the Grapes of Wrath Chapters 62-66 pick up a number of themes from the first few chapters of Isaiah. Try to listen out for them—see how many you can… Read More

Zion’s Day Dawns* In the previous reflection we saw that caring for the poor isn’t just an add-on to our Christian discipleship. (“… If you pour yourself out for the hungry… Read More

​ ​ ​​ ​ Dear Discipleship-first Friends, This post is part of series by Discipleship.org leadership, which gives reasons why we believe that Jesus-style disciple making is the best path forward for… Read More

True Fasting, Wickedness, Justice & Judgment In Isaiah 56-57, there is a strong contrast between the unity of the Lord’s people (56:1-8) and division in the present community (56:9-57:21). Similarly,… Read More

A House of Prayer for All Nations 56:1-8—Justice and righteousness intimately connected. “Son of man” (v.2) is a Hebraic expression meaning mortal. No one is excluded, e.g. foreigners and eunuchs…. Read More

Join in for this webinar sponsored by Tutku Tours on January 30, 2021, 9-11am, EST. Click here for the pdf with the speakers & topics. TUTKU EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL Israel, Jordan,… Read More

Christ, New Jerusalem, Fresh Start We now come to the 4th Servant Song. But who exactly is the servant this time? It can’t be Israel. He appears to be a… Read More

Awake and Depart! We now enter a new section of Isaiah (chapters 49-55), where there is no Babylon or even mention of Cyrus. The servant figure becomes more prominent – three… Read More

Potter, Predator, Peace Context:  Cyrus has claimed to be divinely appointed by Yahweh to free the Jewish exiles, resettle Judah, rebuild the Jerusalem temple, and reign over his people. 45:9—The… Read More

The Servant of the Lord & a Pagan Messiah  42:1-8—Behold (= lo, in Middle English)—Look at this! This behold is part of a much longer series, and contrasts with my… Read More

Proclaiming the Good News Isaiah 40 leads off with the return from Babylonian captivity, as the Persians now rule. But why should an 8th-century narrative appear right before a 6th-century… Read More

Treating Every Person with Dignity, Kindness and Respect, While Standing for Biblical Truth Catch Up on our latest Podcast Episodes Candid & Engaging Conversation on Topics You Won’t Hear Anywhere Else! Oh Yeah,… Read More

ABOUT: Compassion fatigue is a term first coined in the 1950s to refer to the stress and mental exhaustion experienced by persons in the “helping professions” as a result of… Read More

Is the “rod” in Proverbs 13:24 actually an implement for disciplining a child? Does the Bible require corporal punishment for disobedient children? This is a fair question, and an increasingly… Read More

Intimidation, Deliverance, Healing, Babylon Our next study covers territory also found in 2 Kings 18:13-20:21 and 2 Chronicles 32:1-33. Many names are familiar from previous chapters, like Hezekiah, Sennacherib, Shebna,… Read More

Although our Bible’s chapter numbers are more modern, the most famous Dead Sea Scroll, the great Isaiah scroll (over 7m long, or 24′), has a small break between our chapter 33… Read More

Revisiting the Term “Missionary” Written by Nadine Templer, January 16, 2021 Many of us (myself included) have been known as “missionaries.” I currently live in Nepal, and I spent most… Read More

The Noble One Makes Noble Plans In Isaiah 30:11 we heard the words of God’s wayward people: “Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things,… Read More

Stupor, Stone, Tongues, Hypocrites, & Easy Religion We have recently discussed many important themes, especially in the last reflection. One critical example is justice (“For you have been a stronghold to… Read More

The victory of Yahweh over foreign nations and invaders is depicted cosmically in chapter 24. Now the magnificent vision broadens, becoming even richer and deeper. 25:1-8—This is the language of… Read More

Tyre & the Cosmos In the last reflection we saw Isaiah in anguish—over Babylon and over Judah. He reminds us of the apostle Paul, and especially of Jesus—men who truly cared… Read More

Isaiah in Anguish 21:1-5—Dramatic language refers to the fall of Babylon, as Elam, Media, and Persia unite in the attack. The Negeb (Negev) is the southern desert of Israel. In… Read More

Une série sur l’apologétique des adolescents ©2018, Douglas Jacoby et Page Pennell. Traduction par Anne Du Sault et Franck Gnonteme. Existe-t-il un Dieu créateur et durable ou est-ce que la… Read More

I saw this on the BBC News App and thought you should see it: Why our pursuit of happiness may be flawed It is an emotion linked to improved health… Read More

Gluttony is a real struggle for me sometimes. Proverbs 23:2 says to put a knife to your throat if you’re given to gluttony. What is meant by “put a knife… Read More

I came across a book outlining the difference between sin and iniquity. The author defines iniquity as generational soul sin. I’m finding the book interesting and enlightening, but perplexing too…. Read More

African Drama: The Naked & Barefoot Prophet 17:1-3—Damascus is the principal fortified town in Syria. Background: the Syro-Ephraimite crisis of 735-732 BC—hence the prophecy against Syria and Israel. The setting is Jerusalem—who… Read More

a beacon of hope for bringing peace to the streets Watch Kit here talk about his new book: https://vimeo.com/499400056 Hear how we can shatter the pipeline from schools to prisons… Read More

Moab is Undone, God Weeps Reviewing the last talk (“Babylon & Judgment Day”): The judgment on ancient Babylon, like all divine judgments, resembles the ultimate event—Judgment Day. There are connections,… Read More

More Than Leaves: “Produce fruit in keeping with repentance” Written by Dr. Tim Willis, January 9, 2021 Isaiah 5 opens with a song that captures the Lord’s disappointment with Israel…. Read More

Babylon & Judgment Day In our reflection “Rod, Axe, Fire, Shoot, Signal, Sing,” we saw that Assyria was to be judged. “Punishment for the Punisher” is a good title for… Read More

Rod, Axe, Fire, Shoot, Signal, Sing Background: Doom for Judah & Jerusalem, then for Israel. (Why both kingdoms? Because Isaiah preached in the final years leading up to the destruction… Read More

Unto Us a Child is Born “This is one of the best known messianic prophecies in the Old Testament and, in its present context, it stands as the impressive climax… Read More

Faith or Fear? Usual human fears include fear of heights, drowning, germs, public speaking, and death. But in Isaiah the common fear (which we see in chapters 7-8) is political fear—fear… Read More

“Here Am I, Send Me!” Chapters 1-5 = Introduction. The next section, 6-12, begins with the cleansing of a single sinner, and end with the song of a redeemed community. Isaiah… Read More

Many congregations canceled services, and some Christians focused on feeding and nursing the poor. John Mark Hicks  NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Nashville saw its first case of the “Spanish flu” in late… Read More

The Christian Chronicle’s top stories on the coronavirus pandemic. Bobby Ross Jr. Editor-in-Chief Look to The Christian Chronicle for in-depth coverage of the coronavirus pandemic. From Christians battling the virus to churches… Read More

Click here for the podcast version “Happy New Year!” I hope you had a cracking Christmas, but also a wonderful New Year. It’s two days into 2021, the sun is… Read More

Vineyard, Woe, Invasion Chapter 5 falls into three sections: a parable, woes, and an announcement of coming judgment. PARABLE Vs. 1-7—Here we find a short “love song.” God loves his… Read More

Purified by Fire Looking back on the previous units in the series, we have seen how society destabilizes and eventually collapses in the absence of righteous leadership, and when God’s… Read More

The Crisis of Leadership & the Collapse of Society vs. 1-2—Removal of food and water (siege conditions, leading to the full of the north, with its capital city Samaria, in… Read More

The Mountain of the Lord & the Holes of the Ground On v.1—Let’s keep focused: every verse in the Bible has a context – it is written by someone for someone… Read More

Two Cities, Unquenchable Fire, Glorious Future Review (from reflection 1): Sin is serious. In particular, idolatry and social injustice two sides of a coin. God punishes his OT people through foreign invaders. But there… Read More

Come Now, Let Us Reason Together Images of the Messiah: Glorious King (chapters 1-37), Suffering Servant (38-55), and Coming Conqueror (56-66). Contrast with Israel’s inglorious, self-centered, and (ineffectual) monarchs. v.1—vision (see Num 12:6-8). Judah and… Read More

Let There be Peace on Earth! And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven,… Read More

  “A narrow escape” It was Wednesday morning. I was part-way through my prayer walk in the woods. I heard a noise above me in the canopy. A small branch fell… Read More

Discover all the courses being offered on the new AIM Europe page: https://aimeurope.athensinstitute.org

Are you celebrating a Blue Christmas? Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy. – Proverbs 14:10 The holiday season is typically a time… Read More

Advent is a season in the traditional Christian calendar gradually developing in the centuries after the time of Christ’s apostles. If your background is in Catholicism, Orthodoxy, Anglicanism, etc. you… Read More

A Medical Account of the Crucifixion Simplified & Amended [1] Hanging, electrocution, knee-capping, gas chamber: these punishments are feared. They all happen today, and we shudder as we think of… Read More

Glory Divine and Glory Departed What motivates me as a Christian? Am I seeking the glory of God, or personal honor? But before we can answer that question, a clarification is in… Read More

Point Park, part of the Chickamauga-Chattanooga National Military Park, sits atop Lookout Mountain overlooking Chattanooga, TN. In the years after its 1895 dedication, numerous markers and monuments were erected to… Read More

Interview with John Piper, Founder & Teacher, desiringGod.org Critical race theory is a divisive topic among many Christians today. In a special episode, Pastor John explains why we should be… Read More

Introduction There are 13 Josephs in the Bible. This Joseph is mentioned 13x in the NT: Matt 1:16, 18-19, 24; 2:13, 19; Luke 1:27; 2:4, 16; 3:23; 4:22; John 1:45;… Read More

Sermon given by Douglas Jacoby on November 18, 2020 in the North River church, Atlanta, in their ‘Joy of Giving’ series. His message is on ‘Roadblocks’. Click here to watch.

New Perspectives From Strength in Weakness Ministries Volume 24 | November 13, 2020 A SIW Member’s Bi-Weekly Update Video Series for Parents Watch Part 4 of this AMAZING  Video Series… Read More

Who Will Have Your Attention? Clinging to Christ in the Digital Age Scripture: Proverbs 27:20, Mark 9:7, Colossians 3:1–3, and Hebrews 2:1 As you know, our world offers us a feast of new multimedia… Read More

“From Me to We” – Nadine Templer A couple of months ago our family moved from the suburbs of Washington DC to Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal – places with… Read More

iFaith Bible Project Nov 2020 The iFaith project takes us through the entire Bible. From each book of the Bible are produced 1 or 2 video sermons. All talks are… Read More

Christians have been caught off guard. The current revolution sweeping society today was largely unexpected by most believers. That’s understandable in one sense. Who knows what new philosophy will capture… Read More

The name Salome There are two Salomes in the NT— no surprise, given the popularity of the name in the 1st C. Salome comes from shalôm, peace. Top 10 first century… Read More

Tim Barnett shows how some details in the Gospel of Luke—that we may be inclined to skip over—actually help point to the truthfulness of the New Testament.

Can We Begin With Solitude? I am honored that John Teal, one of my former students at CCCB, asked me to contribute to the Common Grounds discussion. He asked me… Read More

John Mark Identity Mark may not be John Mark. John was a common name in the Jewish world, and Mark a common name in the Roman world. And having a… Read More

This double presentation was given to the Winnipeg Church of Christ Campus & Teens on November 7, 2020. Moral Boundaries Presentation: Click HERE OT Class Presentation: Click HERE

Watch this workshop, “Unity & Relationships in the Church” sponsored by Women of Worth in Bangalore, India. The file begins with an interview, the lesson following at about 11 minutes… Read More

BioLogos Alister McGrath | Doorway to Wonder Alister McGrath joins Jim Stump to talk about his book Born to Wonder. 10/29/20 Read More >

  You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. John 8:32 One of the most vital things we can do for our children is to teach… Read More

Treating Every Person with Dignity, Kindness and Respect, While Standing for Biblical Truth Live a Life  of Daily PEACE John 14:27  

Standing at the Crossroads One Sunday in the 1980s, serving as a campus minister, I found myself standing at the crossroads in front of our church building. I was debating… Read More

Teleios is the journal of the Teleios Society. The Teleios Society exists to promote holistic Christian spirituality in the lives of disciples of Jesus. The editors believe the Christian community… Read More

BioLogos After years of listening, dreaming, planning, creating, and refining, we are thrilled to announce the launch of a new science/faith curriculum from BioLogos! INTEGRATE is a flexible teacher’s resource for… Read More

Introductions Aquila Aquila means “eagle.” There are 7 well-known Aquilas in ancient times, including our Aquila. He is always mentioned with his wife. Priscilla Her name means “venerable.” There are 2… Read More

  Unity of the Spirit and “Lines of Fellowship” – Matt Dabbs Paul was much more ecumenical than I was growing up. The more I read Paul the more divisive… Read More

Background This study is not primarily about Paul. (For that, please watch the iFaith video sermon on Philemon, or listen to the Philemon unit in The Prison Epistles, or read… Read More

A Virtual Conference on the Bible and Justice Presented by the ICOC Teachers Team and the Teleios Society on March 4-6, 2021. Registration begins on November 1, 2020. See the… Read More

What does the Bible say about divorce and remarriage? All together, the 5 talks total a little less than 2 hours. Intro / Permanence of Marriage Old Testament on Divorce Jesus… Read More

The apostle Paul 1 Cor 7:10-12, 15 “Not I, but the Lord” and “I, not the Lord.” Paul reveals the Lord’s will on an issue common in the Greco-Roman world:… Read More

Agabus (Acts 11:27-29) A Jerusalem prophet, like Judas and Silas (Acts 15) Hagabos means “locust”—which is interesting, given the connection of locusts with famines. The famine prediction was made 43/44… Read More

  Click here for the podcast version Inspiration in isolation I have been thinking a lot this week about the difference our faith can make to a sense of isolation… Read More

I am going to have a difficult conversation with a visitor in our church who has been a “friend of the family” for years. She is convinced that the call… Read More

The Scourge of Suicide – Part Three Resources His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by… Read More

Douglas and John, would you please address the issue of Christians smoking mushrooms, especially for healing, from an eastern medical perspective? What about the spirit world? I know some believers who… Read More

Background Lydia is from Asia (Thyatira), but resident in Europe (Philippi). She is the first convert from Europe in the book of Acts. Philippi is a Roman colony—there’s no synagogue…. Read More

Introduction As we have learned, in Matt 19 / Mark 10 Jesus is weighing in on the Shammai-Hillel debate. He rejects the any-cause divorce of Hillel. Familiarity with this debate… Read More

   Inter-Generational Unity – Nadine Templer As we strive for unity, one aspect that is often overlooked is the unity between generations, between young and “older” folks, the old guard… Read More

The Scourge of Suicide – Part Two ACT! The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. ~ Galatians 5:6 Suicides have nearly doubled in the United States… Read More

  In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, “science” has become a battleground. There’s an increase in polarization and misinformation around COVID-19, even in Christian circles, and it is costing… Read More

Enjoy the great resources found in this link, including a sampling of the articles below: https://www.fpesdras.org/acerca-de-fpe/pagina-de-arturo-elizarraras/

My initial post (my George Floyd page) includes a list of helpful resources. (Not all persons agree with each other, or necessarily even with me—the various books, articles, videos, podcasts,… Read More

Introduction Silas is mainly referred to in Acts 15-18. “Silas” first appears in Acts 15:22. He is referred to by his full name, Silvanus, in 2 Cor 1:19; 1 Thess 1:1; 2… Read More

Mark 10:2-3, 10-12 Jesus is quizzed. Where does he stand on the divorce issue? Mark indicates absolutely no exceptions! Don’t read through filter of other passages (like 1 Cor or… Read More

It’s easy to feel alone in your struggles with porn. We’re here to tell you that you aren’t the only one.  Issue 123 • September 2020 Redeeming the Pain: Marnie’s… Read More

Included in this post: My own reflections on race, as a white American (first appearing in the newsletter, 10 June 2020). Sources for reflection—if you’d like to invest in relevant… Read More

Dr. Timothy Sumerlin – Denver, CO, USA • Sep 23, 2020 Suicides have nearly doubled in the United States among young people in recent years. Other age groups are not immune to… Read More

Introduction Titus was a major figure in Paul’s life, although not mentioned in Acts (which is selective). We come across him 13x in NT, 8 times in 2 Cor—also Gal,… Read More

Podcast notes: Exod 21:10-11: If a married man takes a second (slave) wife, then the food, clothing, and sexual love—material support plus emotional support—received by the first wife must not… Read More

The following two hundred plus articles are searchable nowhere else at this website, as they are found only in newsletter pdf files. USE SEARCH OR SCROLL DOWN TO THE ITEM… Read More

Disciples Today • Sep 21, 2020 It is not new. People who share many spiritual convictions can come to such verbal blows and attitudes over politics that they divide relationships…. Read More

News from Tyndale House  Tyndale House is an international evangelical research community focused on Bible languages, Bible manuscripts and the ancient world. We support scholars and resource the Church to understand and trust the Bible more. Master… Read More

Rocky Mountain School of Theology and Ministry off to a great start this autumn, and our staff are looking forward to even greater things next semester. First off, in early… Read More

September 2020 Greg Koukl of Stand to Reason responds to a common challenge from relativists that Christians face when trying to share their views. For more information, visit str.org.

Play. Pause. Pray. Rolan invites us to play, pause, and pray for 100 days (September 16-December 24), as we look into our deepest feelings throughout this COVID-19 pandemic. Play a… Read More

For the sermon (and missions sharing) from last week’s Zoom session with Toledo, Ohio, please click on arrow below.

Background information Harsh treatment of women, children, and the vulnerable in OT times: infanticide, abortion, disrespect of women. Divorce was easy and favored the man. Worse, abandoned women could be… Read More

Introduction Most biblical figures give us few insights into the heart or the personality. Timothy is one of the persons about whom we know much more, mentioned some 30x in the… Read More

Talks in this series. Each talk comes with brief notes and key scriptures. 1 — Why focus on this movement? (Please listen to this if you’re unfamiliar with Messianic Judaism.)… Read More

Sharing Solitude in Community – Brandon Bradley In my last article, we explored Henri Nouwen’s idea of a wagon wheel as a simple model of the balance of solitude and… Read More

Rolheiser Virtual Conference Flyer – The Future of Christian Spirituality: In Our Lives, In Our Churches, and In the Academy – Nov 12-14, 2020 See this flyer for all the… Read More

The Biggest “But” by Rob Kranz In my last post, we looked at one of the two big “Buts” in the New Testament regarding women’s roles. 1 Corinthians 14 can seem problematic… Read More

A Strength in Weakness Member’s BI-Weekly Update New Perspectives From Strength in Weakness Ministries Volume 19 | September 4, 2020 A SIW Member’s Bi-Weekly Update Real Life Up Close Let’s… Read More

Treating Every Person with Dignity, Kindness and Respect, While Standing for Biblical Truth Discussing Issues You’ve NEVER Heard on a Podcast Before! Oh Yeah, We’re Going There! Click on a TOPIC to… Read More

Nonviolent resolution Share my experience in bringing rival gangs to the table and practicing nonviolence together in some of the toughest prisons in the country. Buy the book

  Don’t Throw Them Away Imagine a world where nonviolent offenses result in counseling and education rather than incarceration. Instead of learning how to be better criminals, young offenders learn… Read More

AUTHOR Greg Koukl PUBLISHED ON 09/01/2020 TACTICS AND TOOLS Street Tactics are specific conversation maneuvers you can use to navigate graciously, safely, and effectively in what otherwise would be difficult… Read More

Click below for this extensive, and continually developing, bibliography, for the reading Christian. Helpful Books 1 Nov 2020 (Version XXVII)

Measuring Life With Coffee Spoons BY R.V.G. TASKER The poverty of evangelicalism is the poverty of ambition. If T.S. Eliot captured the mediocrity of modern life in the striking line… Read More

Pharaoh’s daughter / Pharaoh (daughter / father, and princess / king) 14th BC Exodus 1:15-17, 22; 2:1-10 The hero is a pagan, a worshipper of the Egyptian gods—the daughter of… Read More

Respond to this post by replying above this line New post on Stepping into the Jordan Patrons, Prophets, and Preachers by Rob Kranz One of the advantages of teaching is that I always… Read More

– THE STATEMENT – A Christian Statement on Science for Pandemic Times SPANISH TRANSLATION | FRENCH TRANSLATION   We, the undersigned, join together as Christians who uphold the authority of God’s Word… Read More

This teen evidences curriculum was produced by Douglas Jacoby and Page Pennell. Click here for both Spanish & English versions in PDF, as well as an English version in Word.

Major text: Rom 16:1-2 Supporting texts: Acts 15:22-23; 30-32; Rom 12:3-8; 1 Tim 3:4; 1 Thess 5:12 Rom 16:1 Now I commend to you our sister Phoebe, who is a… Read More

We Mourn the Passing of Tom Olbricht Tom Olbricht, the extraordinarily gifted founder of the Christian Scholars’ Conference, who shaped generations of scholars, ministers and church leaders for more than… Read More

Scripture: Luke 2:36-38 . Bio: Hannah (Hebrew) = Anna (Greek & Latin). In some ways she reminds us of her OT namesake (faith, presence at the house of God, deep… Read More

After the pandemic, will people return to church?   Some ministers fear the attendance decline will outlive the COVID-19 outbreak. Bobby Ross Jr. Editor-in-Chief Anote on the Facebook page of… Read More

Patriarchy: God’s Plan? by Rob Kranz In a recent post, I explored the events of Genesis 2 and 3. As I explained in that post, a careful examination of the text’s language… Read More

Our DNA: An Interview With Douglas A. Foster I grew in Michigan, in a county with roughly 500 lakes. I spent a good portion of my childhood, barefoot with friends,… Read More

The presentations directly address one of the most common objections against the Bible. Taught online to Dallas / Fort Worth area campus ministries in April 2020. Part One (begins about 11… Read More

Statistics show us that kids are being exposed to pornography early, and this is having detrimental effects. This webinar will feature experts from Covenant Eyes who will share valuable statistics, research, and… Read More

Many biblical scholars have noted that Jesus’ teaching radically challenged Jewish marriage and divorce customs. This article details several ways in which the status quo is overturned. For reference, here… Read More

Register for a full-day seminar 9am-3pm CT, Saturday, August 29th Only $9.99 for a limited time. For schedule and more details, click here. Register today!! https://renew.org/disciple-making-in-a-covid-world/

Watch this important message by Jeff Chacon. He raises a red flag to warn against the subtle influence of an increasingly popular worldview that is hindering interracial relationships in the church… Read More

Daryl Reed is the Lead Minister of DC Regional Christian Church in the Washington DC area. We had an enlightening conversation about Church History and Race. Daryl is a third… Read More

 Enjoy this great interview. “Using Technology to Fight Human Trafficking” Rochelle Keyhan is the Chief Executive Officer of Collective Liberty and the 2018 Thomson Reuters Foundation Stop Slavery Hero. You will enjoy… Read More

Q&A 1574-1580 . Q&A 1581-1589 .. …. Part 1 of Baptism Debate (Dr. Thomas Ross and Dr. Douglas Jacoby) . Part 2 of Baptism Debate (Dr. Thomas Ross and Dr…. Read More

On September 11, 2001—a day Time magazine called the bloodiest day on American soil since the Civil War—two jumbo jets slammed into the World Trade Center towers in New York City,… Read More

 Attorney Fred Gray Remembers Congressman John Lewis Like many others, I’ve been deeply moved by the passing of Congressman John Lewis. Moved, but at a loss for words. I’ve… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, We are publishing a series in which disciple makers offer reflections on how to disciple people on racial issues. Last week it was Ben Barnett and this… Read More

        Review: Galatians: Deals with a set of teachings remarkably similar to modern Messianic Judaism. As in Romans, the phrase “the Law” refers to Torah, not works-righteousness…. Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, We are asking a few disciple making leaders to describe how they disciple people on race. Ben Barnett is a lead pastor of Bridge Pointe Church in… Read More

        Main ideas The Jew-Gentile Controversy Just how “Jewish” do Christians need to be? The answer: Not at all, although it is okay for actual Jews to… Read More

It’s Not Where you Travel, But How Just Published, Now Available! Crossing Boundaries: A Traveler’s Guide to World Peace Buy Now! Join me in forming a community of travelers that… Read More

        We have already discussed several major features of Judaism that do not carry over directly into Christianity. For example, consider: Animal sacrifices (Heb 9:22; 10:1-4; 10:18)… Read More

The first national survey of the worldview of Americans conducted by the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University (@crcacu) shows that although seven out of ten consider themselves to be Christian,… Read More

        Main ideas: Sabbatarians are right about the day: Sabbath is the 7th day, sundown Friday-sundown Saturday. The 4th-C church created a “Sunday Sabbath”. (Although Christians had long been… Read More

        Main ideas: In Rom 11:25, plērōma means fullness, not “full number.” (The identical term appears in 13:10 and 15:29. Also John 1:16; 1 Cor 10:26; Gal 4:4;… Read More

Part 1 – Synopsis Part 2 – Pros Part 3 – Defining and Repurposing Terms Part 4 – Conclusion Dr. George Yancey’s “Beyond Racial Gridlock” is one of the best,… Read More

New Perspectives Listen to Our New SIW Q&A Podcast “Home from Home with Topher & Thomas” Join us, Topher and Thomas, two twenty-somethings who like guys but really love God. We’ll dive head-first… Read More

        Main ideas: Jesus and the apostles clearly taught that Israel had lost its covenant and nationhood in the sight of God (Matt 22:2-9; 23:31-39; John 8:22-24,… Read More

        Main ideas: The new covenant is for all believers, not just the Jews. In fact, the Jews have no special status before the Lord, and more… Read More

The Bible’s war language is often hyperbolic SCOT MCKNIGHT There is a trope among basketball players that, when they make a very quick move that fakes out their opponent, “they… Read More

David Instone-Brewer, a British scholar who specializes in Rabbinic Judaism, writes the most biblically on-track books on the subject of marriage-divorce-remarriage. For the précis, CLICK  HERE. Note: you can also… Read More

Critical biography examines the ‘gifted but flawed’ leader of the American Restoration Movement. By John Mark Hicks When Alexander Campbell died in 1866, he left his legacy in a divided… Read More

        Main ideas: Law and covenant are integrally connected. Nearly the entire book of Deuteronomy is cast in the form of a covenant, the conditions of which… Read More

        Main ideas: The Law and Prophets are the foundation on which Jesus begins his transformative ministry. Analogy: algebra builds on arithmetic—not invalidating it, but fulfilling it…. Read More

Used with the permission of John Clayton, of Does God Exist?, who wrote this article Because we live in a time when virtually all of our information comes from news sources… Read More

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, what should be the Christian response? Bible scholar N.T. Wright and BioLogos founder Francis Collins, two influential Christian figures and long-time… Read More

Here you will find a podcast plus notes on The 4th of July (11 minutes). To download the podcast, right click on “download” and select “save link as” or “save target… Read More

        Main ideas: Matthew 5:17-20 is an important passage for Messianics. Yet the commands Jesus refers to are not the typically “Jewish” mitzvoth, but dealing with anger… Read More

        Main ideas: 1st century: apostles agree Gentiles are not obligated to follow Torah (Acts 15:1-35; Titus 1:10-11). 19th century: rooted in evangelism of Jews in Israel during the Ottoman… Read More

A sermon on abortion and race, preached at a Church of Christ in Oklahoma, sparks outrage. Bobby Ross Jr. Editor-in-Chief OKLAHOMA CITY — When I first heard about the sermon preached… Read More

Many of the 19th century novels are great character studies. In her talk on Mansfield Park, Jean Henderson focuses on the meek character of Fanny. If you want more Jane… Read More

By Amy Krall, for Stands to Reason In a post where I touched on the change from Saturday to Sunday as the day of worship, I was challenged in the comments to… Read More

MICHAEL BURNS – CULTURAL HUMILITY

  NATIONAL   Protests and prayers Christians respond to George Floyd’s death with outrage, rallies and calls for justice. Find more coverage and interviews related to the death of George… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, This is your invitation to join David Young, myself, Bill Hull, Renee Sproles, and Ben Barnett for a half-day seminar July 1st on an important topic: King Jesus and… Read More

During the month of June, in connection to Father’s Day, I am thankful and eager to be able to share with you the things that God, by his love, grace… Read More

A Message to Dads 3 mins Join Us for Our Next Family Support Group Sunday, June 28 |7 PM EST Click Here to Join  Sunday, June 28 | 7 PM… Read More

Dear Discipleship-first Friends, The United States is in the midst of big change. First, it was COVID-19 and all the changes around which everyone had to adopt. Then, it was… Read More

So much has been said and is being said about the tragic death of George Floyd that it almost feels excessive to add to the conversation. But to continue on… Read More

This video is a recording from the event below. Click here to view.

16 April 1963 My Dear Fellow Clergymen: While confined here in the Birmingham city jail, I came across your recent statement calling my present activities “unwise and untimely.” Seldom do… Read More

“Snide and Prejudice”: Language is a telling clue to unacknowledged racial attitudes Source:  The Economist, 13 June 2020, p.68  

June 15, 2020 Dead Sea Scrolls Genetically Fingerprinted Animal skin DNA reveals some scrolls came from beyond the Qumran caves A highly technical study released on June 11, 2020 in… Read More

Recently, my wife and I took the “Emotionally Healthy Relationships” course developed by Peter and Geri Scazzero. During one session we did a genogram. A genogram maps out a multi-generational,… Read More

Jesus’ Words for the Grieving As a society we are contending with not only a pandemic and record job losses, but also with the racist violence that has plagued our… Read More

There’s a long overdue nationwide awakening to social injustices for a large segment of our country and it affects many of our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. God’s Word… Read More

Hey Friends  – In Indianapolis, we’ve been doing a series of impromptu worship concerts entitled ‘Six Feet Apart.’ I have the honor of closing out our seven-concert series with a… Read More

  The COVID-19 pandemic is far from over and we have been thrust into a new storm. The wave of voices calling for change after the senseless killing of George… Read More

  Is there a message in the – tragic – mayhem? Access the podcast version of the newsletter by clicking here I have two things in my mind this week…. Read More