A look at what we added to the blog in 2018, the most popular podcasts of the year and the all-time favorites.
Archives for 2018
10 2Peter 2:13-16 Balaam and the false teachers
Continuing his warnings about the false teachers, Peter uses of Balaam from Numbers 22-24. Like Balaam, the false teachers are profiting from causing the people of God to stumble.
09 2Peter 2:10-12 Who are the “glorious ones” and why are they reviled?
In the third major interpretative challenge of 2 Peter 2, we tackle the questions of who are the glorious ones, why would they be reviled and what does Peter want us to learn from this example?
08 2Peter 2:5-10 The Certainty of Judgment
The coming judgment of God is not a popular topic today. We prefer to emphasize God’s love instead. Yet Peter thought judgment was important enough to include in his final letter, so that would remember it long after he is gone.
Verbs – Biblical Greek
Bible Study software has made biblical Greek more accessible for those who never learned the language. Now with 1 click you can access the Greek word and its conjugation but what are you looking at? Here’s a helpful primer on Greek verbs.
07 2Peter 2:4 Does Peter quote Enoch?
Peter and Jude appear to be quoting the book of 1 Enoch, which is part of the psuedepigrapha. Why would they quote it? What does it mean when an apostle quotes from a non-biblical source? I think both Peter and Jude quote 1 Enoch, the way a teacher today might quote Harry Potter — to make a point based on popular culture.
3 Tips for Bible study in a “post-truth” world
The Oxford Dictionary defines “post-truth” as “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Do we live in a post-Bible study world? Increasingly sermons are heavy with stories and emotional appeals and light on critical explanations of the author’s intent. But good Bible study methods haven’t changed.
#TBT Are congregations a means to an end or a flock to shepherd? 3 examples
What happens when pastors start looking at their congregation as a means to an end instead of a flock to shepherd? Consider these real-life examples of the ways 3 different churches went about seeking volunteers.
06 2Peter 2:1-3 Why 2Peter 2 and Jude are similar
2 Peter 2 and the Epistle of Jude presents the same ideas in the same order and often use the same words. Did Peter copy from Jude? Did Jude copy from Peter? Or did they both copy from someone else? What’s going on?
05 2Peter 1:12-21 The Prophetic Word
Peter asserts the gospel is not a clever philosophy but divine revelation from God. Which presents us with a choice about how we understand the Bible.
04 2Peter 1:7-11 Brotherly affection & love
In 2 Peter 1:5-11, Peter explains the connection between believing the gospel and pursuing a lifestyle of godliness. When we come to believe the gospel, these qualities follow. In last week’s podcast, we defined the first 5 terms on the list. In this podcast we’ll finish the list and cover Peter’s conclusion that our lives as believers will be marked by these growing qualities.
Women’s Ministry Resources
Here are a few of my favorite ideas, tips, tricks and books from 20 years as a Director of Women’s Ministry.