I am putting the finishing touches on an article on Baptism and Communion for the inaugural issue of Theology for Ministry a new journal published by Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. I am encouraged by the goal of the editors which is provide a venue for discussion of shaping our ministries theologically rather than keeping theology […]
Another Luther Bio
Luther, The Leader, Virgil Robinson (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1963; A. B. Publishing, Inc., 1997), pb., 96 pp. This is more of a straight forward re-telling of the Luther story than the Louise Vernon reviewed previously. My boys missed the use of a fictional young boy for the telling of the story, but this […]
John Donne, Our Need of God to Deliver
Here is another poem. This one by John Donne is a powerful description of our need of a powerful gospel, one where a Sovereign God does for us what we cannot do for ourselves, i.e. change our hearts. Donne uses strong imagery to make his point. John Donne’s Holy Sonnets #14 Batter my heart, three-personed […]
Hamilton, Questions for a Prospective Pastor
Jim Hamilton, at For His Renown, has a great post on questions for a prospective pastor. He frames the discussion by suggesting that the greatest danger facing the church today may come from well meaning pastors who have failed to think clearly and deeply enough about the gospel and thus unwittingly lead the church in […]
William Cowper on pretentious, primping preachers
Over the last few years I have given some attention to William Cowper and his poetry. I eventually tracked down a fairly inexpensive 19th century copy of his complete poems. I have enjoyed various parts in various ways, but had not worked my way through his long poem, The Task. However, guided by another I […]
The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
At my church we are going through Ken Sande’s The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict this summer, watching the DVD’s together while some of us also have the book. We are not doing this because there is conflict in the church. Indeed, just the opposite. We typically do some special study on […]
Children’s Bio of Luther
Thunderstorm in Church , Louise A. Vernon (Herald Press, 1974, 2002), pb., 132 pp. Here is another biography from Mrs. Vernon. As in the others the story is told from the viewpoint of a child near the key person. This time the child is Luther’s oldest son Hans. The reader learns of Luther’s life as […]