Latest Blog Posts from Wednesday in the Word, the podcast about what the Bible means and how we know.
I finally tackled the task of cleaning my clothes closet. In case you're also struggling with how to lighten your possessions, here are some of the criteria I used to decide what to keep and what to donate. I tossed clothes that met the following criteria: I bought...
This December you can have a Mary Christmas or a Martha Christmas. Learn the difference.
How can anything that fits under a Christmas tree transform the life of the recipient from misery to joy?
The more I study the Lord’s Prayer, the more I conclude the prayer asks for one and only one thing: that God would make us completely righteous once and for all.
“When was it written?” Here’s the most likely order in which the books of the bible were written.
This chart summarizes the Kings of Israel and Judah from the crowning of Saul to the captivity of Judah.
Have you ever seen those maps of the stars of the universe? The ones taken from space where there is no man-made light, so you can actually see the billions of stars? First, these photos impress you with the vastness of the universe and the number of stars is beyond...
Three "random" events this week converged into one life lesson. 1) I listened to my pastor's last sermon. We met when I was a college freshman and he was an intern at our church. Now he's retiring after 43 years as its pastor. I don't think I was present for his...
Every genre found in the Bible presents unique challenges for understanding. Here are guidelines for studying epistles.
Maps, outlines and resources to expand your study of the Epistle of 1 Peter
Peter wrote his first letter give his readers perspective on the big picture. The gospel (the big picture) has implications for each of those relationships and that is what this letter is about: how we respond to God and view ourselves in this world; how we respond to other believers who are walking this journey with us and how we respond to those who persecute and hate us.
Headed to college? Wondering how to survive the experience? Here is advice from an expert.
Study questions, maps, charts, key words, history, background, outlines, and links to help you study
One of the most common mistakes in interpreting the Bible is riffing on a particular word or phrase at the expense of context. No one thinks they fall into this trap and yet, if you listen for it, you’ll hear it everywhere.
When studying the Old Testament, dates can be a source of confusion, especially when they switch between the Jewish name and the Babylonian name in the same story. Here are my reference tables.
Without the proper tools, your ability to do great Bible study is limited. On this one page, you’ll find links to websites, maps, charts, overviews, outlines, timelines encyclopedias, concordances and tips on how to use them.
Most women’s ministries offer a discipleship program at some point. While there is no “one size fits all” model for how to implement discipleship, here are some ideas to help you get started.
Planning a retreat means managing lots of details from logistics to decorations. Often the schedule gets overlooked or slapped together at the last minute. As a speaker, here are some sample schedules that I’ve seen work well for weekend retreats.
The theology of Spiritual Formation sounds great on paper, but it is focused on the wrong target, seeks the wrong kind of change and misses the mark on how disciplines work.
The biblical picture of prayer is not that it is a spiritual discipline that I use to reach a higher spiritual level. Rather prayer is an unavoidable mandatory battlefield in the war of faith.
One speaker claimed everyone needs 3 people to become a better writer. His list applies to Bible teachers — with one addition.
Not only does the theology of spiritual formation aim at the wrong target, spiritual formation seeks the wrong kind of change. While spiritual disciplines focus on success at outward righteous behavior, the Bible teaches that the goal of spiritual maturity is a strong unshakeable faith.
The theology of Spiritual Formation sounds great on paper, but it is focused on the wrong target. Spiritual formation is “an intentional Christian practice with the goal of developing spiritual maturity that leads to Christ-likeness.” The central claim of...
In modern American culture growing older seems to mean becoming invisible; unfortunately this trend is also infecting the church. Relegating older women to the nostalgia-bin is a symptom of “The Huddle Syndrome.” Fortunately, the Huddle Syndrome is easy to break.
So you’d like to teach the Bible? How do you get started? How do you decide if Bible teaching is your calling? Here’s my advice for aspiring teachers.
If I could sum up James, in one verse, it would be Luke 6:46: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” The central question of the book of James is: Are you living what you claim to believe?
If you think that worship equals singing, A Taste of Heaven: Worship in the Light of Eternity by RC Sproul is a must-read book for you.
Have you ever wondered why Jesus would ask a question, especially one he already knows the answer to? This series looks at the places where Jesus asks a question in the Gospel of Mark.
There’s nothing like the Christmas season to force you to face the fact that life is often neither joyful nor triumphant. It raises the question, what is the true meaning of Christmas?
"Spiritual formation" is a hot topic today. But does it work? The Old Testament prophet Haggai would answer no. Spiritual formation is "an intentional Christian practice with the goal of developing spiritual maturity that leads to Christ-likeness." ...
Recently, my life has been marked by loss. Like the Beatles, how I long for yesterday! The last place I expected to find comfort was in the Old Testament Book of Haggai — yet I did.
A good teacher tailors her presentation to her audience. The same is true of the four New Testament gospels. Each gospel writer had a different audience in mind and tailored his presentation of the story to his audience.
Maps, charts, study guide – everything you need to study the book of Habakkuk.
What can the story of a coal miner’s kid trying to build rockets teach us about Bible Study and Psalm 27?
Psalm 143 is about being in the deepest blackest pit of despair and finding God anyway. It’s about depression, but the particular depression and anguish you feel when you’re confronted with the consequences of your sin.
Which side you take on some basic theological questions makes a world of difference in how you live your life.