Month: May 2016

  • Today in Christian History: May 30

    In 1972, Née Shu-Tsu, better known as Watchman Nee, died in a Chinese prison. As the founder of over 400 local churches, Watchman Nee was a threat to the new Communist regime, and so spent the last twenty years of his life in prison, allowed no visitors except his wife.  When the authorities cleaned out…

  • Today in Christian History: May 29

    G.K. Chesterton was born on this day in 1874.  Chesterton was a larger-than-life personality (literally–6’4 and over 300 pounds). He was a great influence on CS Lewis. His best known work, Orthodoxy, is the source for some of my favorite quotes: The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him,…

  • Today in Church History: May 27

    John Calvin, arguably the greatest post-biblical theologian who’s ever lived, died on this date in 1564, and was buried, according to his wishes, in a plain coffin in an unmarked grave. He didn’t want to have a “Calvin cult” spring up around his personality or teachings. How ironic that Calivinism (or even the accusation of…

  • Who Is Jesus, Session 9: Is Jesus the Only Way?

    This is Session 9 of Focus on the Family’s “Who Is Jesus?” study.  Who Is Jesus, Session 8: The God Claim, Part 2 Who Is Jesus? Session 7: The God Claim (Part 1) Who Is Jesus? Session 6: The Resurrection The big question is, “Did Jesus claim to be  God.” The hard question is, “Is Jesus…

  • Today in Church History: May 20

    In 325, the Council of Nicea convened on this date.  At issue was the nature of Jesus. Was He “of similar substance” to God the Father, or was He “of the same substance?”  Why does that matter? J. Stephen Lang, in The Christian History Devotional, seems to be saying it doesn’t. That it was a…

  • Who Is Jesus, Session 8: The God Claim, Part 2

    Notes from May 18 Who Is Jesus Bible Study.

  • Day 112: Here and Now, Not There and Then (Psalm 16:5-11)

    Are you depending on what’s next for your happiness?

  • Today in Christian History: May 12

    On this date in 1963, AW Tozer died. Tozer, born in 1897, was a pastor in the Christian and Missionary Alliance, a man with no formal theological training, yet one of the most-read pastors of the past century. Tozer was a man of simple lifestyle, and though he gained fame from his writings, he and…

  • Who Is Jesus? Session 7: The God Claim (Part 1)

    Here are the notes for Session 7 of Focus on the Family’s Who Is Jesus? study. Who Is Jesus? Session 6: The Resurrection Q1: If Jesus is God, then everything begins to make sense. Q2: If Jesus is really God, then the consequences are huge. Twenty years later, when you ask someone on the street “Who is David Koresh?”…

  • Baptists: Are You Not Entertained?

    There is a scene in Gladiator in which Maximus, the general-turned slave-turned Gladiator throws his sword into the stands and screams “Are you not entertained?” to the crowd that has just witnessed him fight another gladiator to the death. Apparently, some Baptists are not entertained. Several weeks ago, a parody of Run-DMC’s song “It’s Tricky,” with lyrics…