Not too long ago, I was sitting with some of my staff in what feels like an altogether different universe from today. We were talking about the calling of the church and what it means to really do ministry. I shared with them this introduction from Eugene Peterson's masterful book, A Long Obedience in the …
Bibliography for God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets
When I conclude a sermon series, I usually share the resources I used to help me study and prepare my sermons. Here is that bibliography for our recently completed series, "God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets." Bibliography for “God in the Ruins: The Message of the Minor Prophets” Elizabeth Achtemeier. Minor …
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Learning to Respond to COVID-19 from Early Christians: Eusebius from his Ecclesiastical History
One of the most distinctive aspects of the early Christians was the manner in which they responded to troubles themselves while also reaching out to others. As we prepare for what looks to be ongoing results of the COVID-19 pandemic, this is the moment for Christians of today to step forward by faith in relation …
Jesus’ wholistic mission and the Church (John Oswalt on Isaiah 9)
In his comments on Isaiah 9:2-4, Dr. John Oswalt makes this astute reflection on the wholistic mission of Christ that the church must keep ahold of in talking about salvation in Christ. They [God's people] rejoice because the Lord has freed them. It is not necessary to look for some specific liberation which Isaiah has …
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All Real Faith Involves Discipline: Albert E. Day on cooperation with God
I encountered these provocative words from Albert Edward Day in Discipline and Discovery. While perhaps in some ways using exaggeration to make his point, Day strikes home the importance of cooperating with God in the process of spiritual growth. True holiness is a witness that cannot be ignored. Real sainthood is a phenomenon to which …
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Matthew Erickson 