Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
What in life do you feel is important? How do you determine what is right or wrong? How do you know where to put your energy? All of these questions are shaped in part by our values. What does this look like for Christians? You will find that different Christians do have different values. This … Read More “Where Should Christians Get Their Values?” »
The protestant Christian Bible has 66 books, 39 books in the Old Testament and 27 books in the New Testament. But why those particular books and who chose them? I frequently hear people say that the church did not choose the books of the Bible, God did. How can you argue with that? From the … Read More “Why Do We Have the Books of the Bible We Do?” »
For some people, the holding or rejecting to the doctrine of inerrancy is the dividing line between ‘us’ and ‘them’. Certain evangelicals see in errancy as one of the, if not the, most important battles to be fought. Once inerrancy is given up, it is a slippery slope into liberalism and eventual apostasy. But is … Read More “Inerrancy and the Authority of the Bible” »
The most important book for Christians is the Bible. It is important for us to read it, study it, and reflect upon its teachings. But what happens when we find it confusing or even disturbing? I remember when I cam back to faith in my early 20s after a childhood of not really taking it … Read More “It is Okay to Struggle With the Bible” »
Popular pastor, Andy Stanley, got in hot water with evangelicals once again over one of his recent Tweets. He said this: As you can see, this Tweet has since been deleted. People were quite upset about this. Some going as far as suggesting that Stanley is falling into heresy. But technically, he is actually correct. … Read More “Andy Stanley, Jesus, and the Bible” »
What I am referring here to is not the abundance of English translations of the Bible but rather a common criticism of the reliability of the Bible. The idea is that the Bible has been translated so many times that we should have some serious doubts that we even have what the original authors intended. … Read More “The Bible Has Been Translated So Many Times…” »
Whenever there is a controversial issue being discussed, very often someone will begin a statement with “The Bible clearly says” and then whatever they want to express. Is that a helpful way to debate important topics? The problem with saying “the Bible clearly says” is what we really mean is “I am very confident of … Read More ““The Bible Clearly Says…”” »
For some people, inerrancy of the Bible is one of the central doctrines of the Christian faith. Some may think a belief in inerrancy is required for someone to be a Christian. Others may not take it so far but would believe that inerrancy is foundational to Christian apologetics. How do we know there is … Read More “How Important is Inerrancy to Apologetics?” »
I recently did two separate but related Twitter polls that provided some interesting results. They were designed to test a hypothesis I had about inerrancy. My interest was in a comparison between Jesus and the Bible. Most evangelicals see both as being both human and divine. The incarnation of Jesus can inform our doctrine of … Read More “The Bible, Jesus and Inerrancy” »
I love the Bible and have spent much of the last two decades studying it both inside and outside of school. I teach it and I preach it. But there are parts, especially in the Old Testament, that make me uncomfortable. It would be nice if it was all as beautiful as the 23rd Psalm … Read More “What If You Struggle With Parts of the Bible?” »
I don’t know how many times I have heard a skeptic say to me, “How can you trust the Bible when it has been translated so many times. What they are claiming is that the Bible was written in Hebrew, translated to Greek, which was translated to Latin, which was translated to German, which was … Read More “The Skeptical Argument That Bugs Me The Most” »
The two books that I have read and reread the most are the Bible and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. Recently, a skeptic asked me why we should read the Bible any differently than Lord of the Rings. After all, both tell epic tales, reflect on the nature of good and evil, describe supernatural … Read More “What’s the Difference Between the Bible and Lord of the Rings?” »
I believe that a lot of our problems and misunderstandings about the Bible and Christianity would be solved if we read Bible passages in context. I love it when Greg Koukl reminds us to “never read a Bible verse.” He doesn’t mean never read the Bible, just never stop with reading just that verse by … Read More “Reading the Bible in Context” »
My wife is starting to take New Testament Greek at McMaster Divinity College, the seminary where I studied. But why do people who study for Christian ministry even need to study the original languages, such as Greek and Hebrew? This morning I actually used my Greek New Testament as part of my sermon preparation. I … Read More “Why I Still Use Greek and Hebrew as a Pastor” »
Read the Bible? Who reads the Bible more than pastors? That’s the problem. We read the Bible to plan out sermons and Bible studies. But how often do we read the Bible to feed ourselves spiritually? I know from experience how hard it is to read the Bible as a pastor. I start reading the … Read More “31 Days to Become a Better Pastor: Read the Bible” »
James Bishop is a thoughtful blogger who frequently writes on issues touching on theology, apologetics and biblical studies, I frequently link to his posts in my Midweek Apologetics Roundups. James recently wrote a thought-proving post called Why I No Longer Hold to Inerrancy & The Need For A New Model of Inspiration. James makes some very … Read More “Why I Continue to Hold to Inerrancy” »
Bible reading is good. Responsible Bible reading is better. It is not enough to just randomly open a Bible and put your finger down on a verse. There are some good practices that people can use to read the Bible appropriately. One of the ways to do this is to ask questions. Here are five … Read More “5 Questions to Ask When Reading the Bible” »
The Bible is scripture for Christians and the Qur’an is scripture for Muslims. There are things that they have in common but there are also some significant differences. Here are seven differences between the Bible and the Qur’an. The Qur’an is only considered to be authoritative in the original Arabic. Muslims do not even refer … Read More “7 Differences Between the Bible and the Qur’an” »
I love it when people contact me and seek clarification about the meaning of Bible passages. As a pastor and a Bible teacher, I love this stuff. Most of the time. There are certain passages that for me are just hard to understand. This is not a plea for people to explain them to me. … Read More “4 Bible Passages That Totally Confuse Me” »
There so many different kinds of Bibles out there. There is a wide variety of translations, study Bibles and so on. But there is one Bible that I must admit I really like and recommend above all others. In this video, I explain why I like the ESV Journalling Bible. If you are interested in … Read More “The Bible That I Recommend” »
It is common to hear that Christianity in general and the Bible in particular is anti-women. But is that true? It is easy to make assertions, but what does the Bible really say? Sean McDowell does a great job of addressing this topic in this video. If you like what Sean McDowell has to say, … Read More “Sean McDowell on the Value of Women in the Bible” »
I have been reading Temple Grandin’s Emergence: Labelled Autistic. In one of the chapters, Temple shares about an experience in chapel at the boarding school she attended as a child. I will share a portion here to give you some insight in the challenges of communicating spiritual truths to people with autism. “I am the … Read More “Faith, Autism and Taking Things Literally” »
Build a Biblical Foundation When some people get a vision for apologetics, they may get excited about all the apologetics books that should be read. Those are great resources but it is skipping a step. Far more important than the best-selling apologetics books is getting a solid foundation in the Bible. It is not enough … Read More “30 Day Apologetics Challenge: Day 2” »
“All religions are based on people’s fear of death and their desperate attempts to find hope after death.” Have you heard statements like this? Certainly the afterlife is an important part of many (but not all) religions. My interest is in how this relates to biblical faith. Again the afterlife is important to Christians. The … Read More “Was the Bible Written Because People Were Afraid of Death?” »
Some time back I wrote a post about 10 Things You May Not Have Known About the Bible. Since I believe that there are always more things to learn, here are 10 more things you may not have known about the Bible. The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle of Jesus that is … Read More “10 More Things You May Not Have Known About the Bible” »
I have heard atheists claim that disbelief in the God of the Bible is no different than the Christian’s disbelief in Zeus. Christians are just inconsistent in their atheism. Is disbelief in YHWH the same as disbelief in Zeus? Belief in God, contrary to what some claim, is not based on blind faith. There is … Read More “Why I Believe in YHWH Rather Than Zeus” »
I still hear accusations about the Bible and slavery on a regular basis. If Christianity is true, why does the Bible condone and even promote slavery? A good God would not do that. And on it goes. It is important to discuss what the Bible says about slavery. In a world where slavery is back … Read More “5 Facts About the Bible and Slavery” »
The Bible is the most influential book in western culture. Even in this post-Christian era, we are surrounded by the influence of the Bible. The Bible was crucial for me in my own faith journey. I read the Bible cover to cover a number of times (and once in alphabetic order) before making a personal … Read More “10 Things You May Not Have Known About the Bible” »
Many years ago, I had a couple of Roman Catholic ladies come to my door. They went on to explain to me that the problem with the world today was that too many people read the Bible (I in no way am suggesting that this is typical of Catholicism). After my initial shock, I realized … Read More “7 Things to Remember When Reading the Bible” »
Recent years have brought much discussion about inerrancy. Ironically skeptics and certain Christians often agree on a very rigid form of inerrancy. It is possible to find people on both sides who would agree that if the there is one error, then the entire Bible’s reliability is cast in doubt. Because of this, some apologists … Read More “What Would a Biblical Error Look Like?” »
This is the third instalment in my series on Canadian bloggers. This time we have the privilege of hearing from Don Hutchinson, interim CEO of the Canadian Bible Society. Don speaks to us on a very timely issue. You can find Don’s blog here. The message of biblical grace has again become … Read More “The Media and the Bible” »
I recently had an interesting conversation about the foundation of Christianity. It began with a response to a pastor’s statement that the foundation of Christianity is not the Bible but is Jesus. Some people were deeply concerned about this statement. What is the foundation of Christianity? Jesus or the Bible? In terms of the Bible, … Read More “What is the Foundation of Christianity?” »
I was recently challenged by someone about including a post about Bible teaching in the subject of apologetics. The purpose of this post is not to argue with the individual but to interact with the idea. I actually think that it is worth reflecting on the relationship between Bible teaching and apologetics and I appreciate … Read More “Is Bible Teaching a Part of Apologetics?” »
Christians need to learn the Bible It is well known that the average person in the pew no longer has a good grasp of the Bible. Yes there are a few exceptions in certain families and in certain congregations, but generally Bible knowledge is much less than it was a few generations ago. The Canadian … Read More “3 Things for Pastors to Teach About the Bible” »
I have had evangelicals ask about the Apocrypha, seemingly concerned about their nature. Should Christians read the Apocrypha? My short answer is yes, but more information is needed. I have heard people describe the Apocrypha as “those Roman Catholic books.” Let me be clear, the Roman Catholic Church had nothing to do with the creation of … Read More “Should Christians Read the Apocrypha?” »
As we approach Valentine’s Day, I was thinking about a statement that I often hear people say. The Bible is God’s love letter to us. To be honest, I think I have made such a statement from the pulpit myself. I don’t think this is true. I have been reading through Leviticus and Numbers and … Read More “Is the Bible God’s Love Letter to Us?” »
Biblical interpretation is one of the most important skills for a Christian. This is something not just for a pastor or a professor. The Christian who reads five verses before bed needs to know how to interpret the Bible. Here are seven keys that will help you to interpret the Bible correctly. This does not … Read More “7 Keys to Biblical Interpretation” »
I remember many years ago hearing someone comment with enthusiasm about a new Bible they had bought. My thought back then was, “It is only a Bible, there is nothing to be excited about.” Well I need to tell you about a great Bible that I just finished reading! It is called the ESV Journaling … Read More “A Bible Worth Writing In” »
I truly believe that good biblical interpretation is one of the greatest needs within the Church. Hermeneutical errors have been responsible for heresies from the beginning. Thankfully there are some good principles that can help us navigate the Bible and avoid these errors. One of the books that I have gone back to a number … Read More “Protestant Biblical Interpretation” »
Would you like to be active as an apologist? Great! So what do you need to know to be an apologist? The common sense answer would be that an apologist needs to know about apologetics. However, apologetics is more of an attitude than a body of knowledge. If you look at the topics being taught … Read More “Skills for the Apologist” »
The uniqueness of Christianity One of the most common claims is that all religions are the same. This is incredibly false. Each religion has its own claim to being unique. Here are five ways in which Christianity is unique. 1. Christianity is falsifiable. Did the Buddha achieve enlightenment? Did Muhammed receive revelations from Gabriel? Even … Read More “5 Ways That Christianity is Unique” »
I am surprised at how little Christians know about the Gospels. Yes they know the stories and can recognize some of the parables but when it comes to what the Gospels are and why they are reliable, many are ignorant. Here are five things you should know about the Gospels. The Gospels are a form … Read More “5 Things You Need to Know About the Gospels” »
If you can understand this one thing, you will avoid many of the problems that Christians encounter. Are your ready? This is very important. The Bible was not inspired as a western twenty-first century document and should not be read as such. If you get only this statement from all of the things I have … Read More “What You Need to Know About the Bible” »
Everyone knows that Norm Geisler is a strong defender of inerrancy. He has spent much of his ministry championing this cause. His latest weapon in this war is a new website called Defending Inerrancy. Let me make myself clear, I am a believer in inerrancy. I believe that the Bible is completely without error in … Read More “Norm Geisler, Inerrancy and Definitions” »
You may have already broken your resolutions about the gym and your diet but it is not too late to resolve to deepen your knowledge about the Bible. There are some wonderful commentaries and introductions but nothing beats the Bible itself. But where do you start? Do you just read from the beginning to the … Read More “Start Your Year With the Bible” »
This is a project that I have been working on for a while and I am excited that it is finally ready. Christian leaders often lament the biblical illiteracy in the church. There are two ways to respond: dumb down messages to their level or raise the level of biblical literacy. I am a firm … Read More “Genesis to Revelation” »
I’m going to put this one out for discussion. What do you think of this view of Scripture? “The main difficulty seems to me not the question whether the Bible is ‘inspired’, but what exactly we mean by this. Our ancestors, I take it, believed that the Holy Spirit either just replaced the minds of … Read More “C.S. Lewis on Inspiration and Inerrancy” »
Nehemiah 8:1-3 Introduction Imagine if I announced today that we were going to radically change the style of worship in the church. I don’t just mean a change of songs, moving from traditional hymns to newer songs. I mean a complete change. We would remove all musical instruments from the sanctuary. Not only that, we … Read More “A New Kind of Worship” »
I love the Psalms. I love the Psalms for numerous reasons. There is the beauty of the language. I am not sure there is anything that is more beautiful than the 23rd Psalm. I love the raw expression of feeling. The Psalms do not hide emotion, when the Psalmist feels forsaken by God, he shouts … Read More “ABCs of the Bible” »
“In the third month after the Israelites left Egypt—on the very day—they came to the Desert of Sinai. After they set out from Rephidim, they entered the Desert of Sinai, and Israel camped there in the desert in front of the mountain. Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him … Read More “A Voice From Above” »
What should people do with questions of the relation of the God of the Bible and the God of the Qur’an? Are YHWH and Allah the same God? This is a hard question to answer. If one read the Christian Bible in Arabic, they would find God as Allah. The words are not important. The … Read More “Are YHWH and Allah the Same God?” »
A fellow blogger recently posted his reasons for walking away from Christianity. The last I checked, there were almost a thousand responses to his post. He obviously struck a nerve with both believers and unbelievers. You see his post here. I do not presume to tell him or anyone else what to believe. However, I … Read More “Losing His Religion” »
First of all, I want to say that I am not on an anti-Christian Science crusade. People are free to believe whatever they want to believe. But I am enjoying our conversation so I am going to keep going. It is very clear that a central tenet of Christian Science is the illusion of matter. … Read More “Matter Matters” »
