The Plain Meaning
Just when the theater-of-the-absurd that is American politics seems it cannot get any more bizarre, California Governor Gavin Newsome decides to add theologian-in-chief to his job responsibilities. He has placed billboards in multiple states—with a special message for Bible Belt states of Oklahoma and Mississippi. In those states the billboards ask and answer, “Need an […]
Being Young: A Biblical Theology of Youth – An Excerpt
The hometown of Jeremiah was on the edge of the wilderness in a small town called Anathoth about three miles northeast of Jerusalem. Jeremiah grew up in a time of great upheaval in the ancient Near East. The Assyrians dominated this part of the world; however, rebellions from various vassal states required significant resources from […]
Dawson Trotman: The Navigators and the Discipleship Movement – An Excerpt
In 1955, Trotman spoke to the staff of Back to the Bible. This speech was eventually titled “Born to Reproduce.” In this forty-seven-minute message, he articulated a multiplication process that was a passion of his heart. “[Another] contribution [of Trotman] is rediscovery of the multiplication principle. This, too, Dawson demonstrated in his own ministry, boldly […]
Henrietta Mears and Sunday School Evangelism – An Excerpt
While some had already written off Sunday school as a thing of the past, Mears brought new purpose, rigor, and enthusiasm to the education department of First Presbyterian Church. She paired her education experience with her passion for the Bible as she approached her new ministry assignment. Marked by quality, age-appropriate learning, trained teachers, and […]
Faculty Dialogues: Dispensationalism or Not
The Ph.D. department hosted a live Faculty Dialogues event in the chapel at Gateway Seminary’s main campus in Ontario, CA. I am joined by Dr. Paul Wegner, distinguished professor of Old Testament, as we discuss our views on dispensationalism. Mediator for the event was our vice president of academic affairs and dean of the faculty, […]
Get Ready
The leaked Supreme Court brief which may preview a coming decision to overturn Roe v. Wade has sparked protests at Catholic churches, vandalism of Catholic Church facilities, and threats to disrupt worship services and other church events. These actions by pro-choice activists are designed to intimidate Catholic Supreme Court justices and convince the Catholic Church […]
Passion for Ministry
My reading habits wander from book to book, often prompted by a reference in one book guiding me to another. It makes for eclectic reading through various genres and eras, usually weighted toward my interests in history, biography, and missions. Such a process led me to The Autobiography of Peter Cartwright – considered by many the classic […]
California Christian Impact
In California, mission opportunities are endless which means the freedom to do ministry creatively is boundless. This is one of the best things about living in California. Yes, secular cultural ideas and ideals dominate the mindset—but that’s true in every global mission field. Rampant secularism demands a robust gospel, not a retreat from declaring the […]
The Apostles & The Septuagint
The Earliest Bible Translation Almost three hundred years before Jesus was born, Jewish scribes in Egypt translated their Hebrew Bible into Greek. It was the common language of their day. Not much is known about this translation project. The only information we have comes from a legend written about one hundred years after the fact. […]
Minor Prophets, Major Hope
When we announced a series of sermons on the Minor Prophets for Gateway Chapel this spring, it may have seemed like a stereotypical seminary effort to focus on academic obscurity. Far from it. The message of these ancient prophets—mislabeled “minor” because of the length (not the content) of their messages—pulsates with meaning and application for […]