Thoughtful Reflections on Faith and Life
I have been blogging since 2006 and have had a number of websites since then. I have been very active in creating content: blog posts, podcasts, and videos. Plus I have written a few books. But why? Why do I spend so much time doing all of this? What is the point of it? This … Read More “Why I Do What I Do” »
How can pastors include apologetics into their pastoral ministry. One way is to preach apologetics-themed sermons. I try to put this into practice. I recently preached a sermon at my church based on Jude 3 called “Being a Contentious Christian.” You can watch it below. This is the first video on my new YouTube channel. … Read More “Apologetics Sermon: Jude 3” »
I have just turned 50 and so I thought I would take some time to share a little about my story, where I have come from and where I currently am. Unfortunately, I had a few sound issues in this episode but the majority is just fine. Please also check out: Top Fifty For Fifty … Read More “Confessions of a 50 Year Old” »
For some people, turning fifty years old is a traumatic event. It has not been that bad for me, even though I have talked a lot about it. I am thankful for the experiences I have had and the family in my life. As I was thinking about my life, I thought it would be … Read More “Reflections on Turning Fifty” »
I have never had a boring year yet in my adult life and 2017 was no exception. I thought that with the year coming to an end, it would be a good idea to share some of the highlights. I’m just completing my second year as the pastor of Queen Street Baptist Church. I can … Read More “The Year in Review” »
Paul Copan and Kenneth D. Litwak, The Gospel in the Marketplace of Ideas: Paul’s Mars Hill Experience for Our Pluralistic World (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2014), Pbk. 176 pp. One of the common passages for apologists to go to for a model of apologetic conversation is Paul’s experience at Athens in Acts 17. Such a choice is … Read More “The Gospel in the Marketplace of Ideas” »
Nabeel Qureshi, Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2016), Pbk. 176 pp. One of the most heated topics among Christians and non-Christians is that of Islam in general and Jihad in particular. The media continually presents stories of violent attacks by Muslim extremists. Terrorist attacks in supposedly safe countries such as Canada, United States, … Read More “Answering Jihad: A Better Way Forward” »
Mark L. Strauss, Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007. 559 pp. Bible college and seminary students need to learn many things, but near the top of that list is a good understanding of Jesus and the Gospels. Although there are many books that fall under that … Read More “Four Portraits, One Jesus” »
Michael F. Bird (ed.). Four Views on the Apostle Paul (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012), 236 pp. Pbk. One of the most interesting series of books to come out is that of the four views. Each book provides the opportunity for multiple authors to offer their own view on a theological subject and then to … Read More “Four Views on the Apostle Paul” »
John N. Oswalt, The Bible Among the Myths (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2009), 204 pp. Pbk. There is no lack of books that argue that the Bible is no different from any other ancient mythology. From one perspective, there seems to be logic to such a theory. The Bible shares with ancient myths a belief in … Read More “Bible Among the Myths” »
Michael R. Licona, The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2010), 718 pp. Pbk. There are no lack of books on the resurrection of Jesus. Pastors, scholars, apologists and critics have all weighed in on the issue. It is fair to ask: After N.T. Wright’s massive Resurrection of the Son … Read More “The Resurrection of Jesus” »
Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010), 591 pp. Pbk. Eric Metaxas is a versatile author, working on such projects as books on Wilberforce and Veggie Tales cartoons. This time, Metaxas turns his attention to Dietrich Bonhoeffer. This is an important figure to write on as he is both well and … Read More “Bonhoeffer” »
Ravi Zacharias (ed.), Beyond Opinion: Living the Faith We Defend. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007. xx + 360 pp. Pbk. Ravi Zacharias is one of the most well known apologists of today. Even if one does not agree with his apologetic method, it is difficult to not respect his impact both in his own ministry and … Read More “Beyond Opinion” »
Norman L. Geisler, If God, Why Evil? A New Way to Think About the Question. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 2011. 173 pp. Pbk. There are many areas of apologetics that people find interesting. However, there is one area that is more personal and close to the heart and that is the problem of evil. From biblical times … Read More “If God, Why Evil?” »
Rob Bell, Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. New York: HarperCollins, 2011. xi+202 pp. Hbk. There have been few books in recent times as controversial in evangelical circles as Rob Bell’s Love Wins. Bell is not some obscure liberal whose views can be easily ignored, … Read More “Love Wins” »
Paul Hughes (ed.). Think and Live: Challenging Believers to Think and Thinkers to Believe. Las Vegas: Anderson-Noble, 2011. 161 pp. Pbk. The subtitle of this book, Challenging Believers to Think and Thinkers to Believe, sets the tone for this book. It attempts to be a bridge between believers and unbelievers. The content of this book … Read More “Think and Live” »
Tripp York and Justin Bronson Barringer (eds.). A Faith Not Worth Fighting For: Addressing Commonly Asked Questions About Christian Nonviolence (Eugene: Cascade, 2012), 243 pp. Pbk. When it comes to issues of nonviolence and pacifism, every Christian has an opinion. It is not just about whether to join the military. Even the decision to call … Read More “A Faith Not Worth Fighting For” »
This is a fairly quiet time for me. I am working as an adjunct pastor at Toronto Chinese Baptist Church until the beginning of August. I am also teaching a course on Romans at Tyndale University College for July and the beginning of August. So what am I going to do with all my free … Read More “What’s Happening?” »
I have been asked many times about how I became a Christian. What people really mean is, “Tell me a short tale of how you encountered the message of Jesus and how you immediately responded.” Since that is not my experience, I usually pick a chapter of my story based on the audience and then … Read More “How Did I Become a Christian?” »
Volume 10 (2008-2009) of the McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry is now out. The articles (not including the reviews are: Who is the “Woman” in 1 Timothy 2? by John R. Master and Jonathan L. Master Penal Substitution in Perspective: Re:Evaluating the Articulation and Application of the Doctrine by Patrick Franklin Contemporary Images for … Read More “McMaster Journal of Theology and Ministry” »
