In Numbers 15, Moses describes two manners in which a man might depart from walking in God's commandments. The first way in 15:22-29 is often called sinning inadvertently, unintentionally, or ignorantly. English translations commonly stress the unawareness or obliviousness of the one who sins. The second way is 15:30-31 is called sinning willfully or presumptuously. … Continue reading Sinful Meandering vs Sinful Defiance

My developed impression is that most Christians think being made in the image of God, aka Imago Dei, is a broad, flat, and generic affirmation of the universal intrinsic dignity and worth of humans as the special creatures God made us to be. I don't think that's the meaning of the Imago Dei in Scripture. … Continue reading Glimpses of the Imago Dei

I've seen and heard about my fellow Christians in various traditions finding new ways to have the Eucharist or serve Communion during our season of social distancing: methods ranging from drive-thru service, to appointments one family at a time, to distribution of the elements by the deacons prior to live-streaming, or even folks using what … Continue reading Lamentation in Dismemberment

I’ve advocated for a systems theory approach to understanding ‘emotional’ processes and symptom-bearing in the life of a person as he interacts with systemic ‘anxiety’. And I’ve asserted that helping this person is achieved through a counselor’s entry into the ‘family’ system and regulation of his own emotional reactivity with the person under care. And I’ve insisted … Continue reading Nouthetic Counseling

In 2017, Alastair Roberts wrote a defense of his signing of the Nashville Statement. At one point, he discussed the complications with NS Article VII and its impact on the folks and work of Spiritual Friendship. In doing so, he says: "... It is also important, however, to appreciate that the ‘homosexuality’ of gay and … Continue reading A System in the Shape of an Obstruction

Invocation Officiant: The Lord be with you!Congregation: And also with you!Our help and rest come in the name of the Lord our God,Who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them. The Promise of His Coming: Act I The coming of our Lord and Savior was foretold long ago,Since most … Continue reading Antiphony for the Nativity

In the summer of 2016, I watched Krampus (2015), having missed it during the previous Christmas season. The perfect time of year, right? Well, it wasn’t the most spectacular yuletide horror flick of all, but it had its moments. Its subtle homage to all sorts of classic Christmastime pop-culture references was witty. Perhaps the issue was that … Continue reading Christmas Reckoning

A pastor-friend and I were discussing how we should understand (and not understand) the meaning of the new birth or being born again as taught by Jesus and his Apostles in Scripture. It was a fruitful conversation. More recently, I've tended to favor or emphasize the New Birth as a corporate objective historical reality first … Continue reading The New Birth

In my translation and examination of 1 Peter 5:1-4 and Acts 20:28, I employed appropriate word choices to accentuate the prominently and distinctly male character of the agency of church elders who shepherd of the whole community. This is not a mere generically male agency but that highly conspicuous agency of virtuous alpha-males who possess … Continue reading Shepherds and Male Agency

Church elders display a Christ-signifying instrumentality. They do this as they exercise the agency of undershepherds over their congregations as they were and are exhorted by the Apostles Peter and Paul in 1 Peter 5 and Acts 20 respectively. I exhort the elders who are in you—I who am a fellow elder and a witness … Continue reading Shepherds of the Congregation