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Article Review
(Author’s Note: The following is an assessment of my thoughts regarding an article titled, Homosexuality: One Parishioner’s Perspective (A deconstruction of the context of Bible verses used against LGBT rights). I believe the review of the article is fair according to biblical accuracy, flow of logic, and overall sense of objective truth. My hope is that it will be received with the same sincerity in which I sincerely wrote it.) A Response to the Article, Homosexuality: One Parishioner’s Perspective (A deconstruction of the context of Bible verses used against LGBT rights): In the article put forth by Philip H. “Hutch” Hutchens, PhD, Homosexuality: One Parishioner’s Perspective (A deconstruction of the…
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Superstition and the Christian Mind
Oil and water do not mix. There are many things in this life that go hand-in-hand, such as ice cream and cherry pie. The one compliments the other in a way that both are elevated to a greater level of enjoyment and perfection. But this is not the case for everything, including oil and water. In fact, the attempt to combine oil and water in a combustion engine will lead to the ruin of that motor. The water actually serves to displace and prevent the lubricating effect of the oil on the parts of the motor, leading ultimately to its failure. In much the same way, superstition and Christianity do…
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Mickey Mouse Theology, Fortune Cookie Prophecy, and the Demise of Biblical Literacy
“The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. Therefore many of them believed…” Acts 17:10–12 (NASB95) The missionary encounters experienced by Paul and Silas as recorded in Scripture are as diverse as they are exciting. Whether it was sparking revival in the face of opposition, establishing the church despite the threat of life and limb, or raising people from a disastrous death so the preaching could…
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Mary, Mary…Quite Contrary
As Advent season is upon the church, and she is looking toward the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, one biblical figure that cannot be overlooked is Mary. Mary, the young virgin who was chosen by God to be the one to hold the unique ministry of carrying the infant Jesus in her womb is critically important to the Christmas story. Furthermore, she would be the one charged with caring for and nurturing this infant Savior of the world until He became mature enough to care for His own needs. While her ministry and responsibility is certainly unique and deserves a place of special honor,…
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Why My Piece of Paper Isn’t Just a Piece of Paper
Today, I received the official document from Biola University stating that I have successfully completed their Certificate Program in Christian Apologetics. The required course work included three modules, each of which contained eight lectures and study outlines by some of the top apologists, Christian philosophers, and Bible teachers of our generation. Each lecture was centered around key apologetic issues, topics, and tactics that are relevant to defending the Christian faith in modern times. With a total of twenty-four two-hour lectures, followed by a series of exams for each one (totaling somewhere around sixty hours of work), I am ecstatic to be able to say, “With the Lord’s help, I passed!” And today, I received the piece of paper…
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The Peril of Self-Worship
The fruit of our society has not only become rotten, it has become rancid. But honestly...what did we think would happen?
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The Watchman
Have you ever been accused of being someone who spoils all of the fun? You know, that one person who doesn’t want to go with the flow when things start getting out of hand? The person who says, hey, maybe we shouldn’t be doing this? Or that guy who points out that what you are doing could lead to trouble? You know the person I am thinking of. Have you ever been that person? It kind of reminds me of the crazy sidewalk prophet with the wild eyes and long beard, standing in the middle of a crowded street of a major city holding his prophetic sign that says, “Repent, judgment is…