Persecution & Compromise: Double Trouble for Revelation’s Readers

Most of us understand that the book of Revelation predicts and expects persecution for its readers.  The assumption is that John’s readers were under the constant threat of death for their testimony of Jesus Christ.  Basically, this viewpoint goes something like this: if you don’t worship the emperor, you will be killed. Ian Boxall, in [...]

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Book Review, Part II: We Become What We Worship

Thanks again to Adrianna of IVP for a review copy of this book. We pick up from part 1 of this review, starting with chapter 3, which covers “evidence elsewhere in the Old Testament.” As a reminder, Beale’s thesis statement is “what people revere, they resemble, either for ruin or restoration.”  The first review dealt [...]

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Resources for Studying Revelation

The spring is one of my favorite times of the year in our training school because it means our unit on Revelation is finally here.  I enjoy teaching it so much largely because it gives me an excuse to study it and learn more deeply (I hope) the life-changing truths of this book.  It is [...]

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Welcoming the Newest Boston Bible Geek

My wife, Lisa, and I welcomed our first child to the world last week.  Mary Margaret Pierce was born on 4/15; both mom and baby are doing well.  You can check her out at our family blog.  At some point I’ll resume posting here, but I’m sure you’ll forgive my inactivity in the meantime.

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What Are We Celebrating on Easter Sunday?

On Easter Sunday, many pastors around this country will preach about new beginnings.  They’ll draw analogies with the coming of Spring; the budding flowers and chirping birds show us that life begins anew and we can start a new phase of life.  Christ’s resurrection will be spiritualized and said to be significant because it shows [...]

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Understanding What’s Behind the Cross

Why did Jesus have to die?  As we observe Good Friday, and enter in to Easter weekend, this is an appropriate question.  The stock answer, of course, is that Christ died for our sins;  Jesus died to forgive us from our sins.  While I find nothing wrong about these common answers, I believe that they often assume [...]

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Christian Carnival CCLXXI

Just wanted to let everyone know that the latest Christian Carnival is up over at Fathom Deep.  It features Brian’s comeback post on the Sacraments.  Or Ordinances, whichever you prefer.

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Book Review, Part I: We Become What We Worship

Special thanks to Adrianna of IVP for a review copy of this book. I mentioned at the end of last year that I had received a copy of Greg Beale’s book We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry and that I was genuinely excited to get a chance to read it.  In [...]

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Can I Get an Amen?

I came across this quote by Sally Lloyd-Jones, author of The Jesus Storybook Bible: The Bible isn’t mainly about you and what you should be doing. It’s about God and what he has done. Amen anyone? (I might only add “…and what He will do,” lest we forget that there is more to come!) Said book [...]

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RoTM: The Importance of the Sacraments

I can hardly call this post an RoTM, since, as Danny has noted, I have been decidely delinquent in posting lately.  I have several excuses for this, but rather than take ownership and responsibility for the management of my life, I will follow current social trends and blame somebody else, viz., Danny.  It may not [...]

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