20
Jan
2023
Abortion and Being Known for What You Are Against
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It’s common to chide those who emphasize negative issues with an idiom: “You want to be known for what you are for, not for what you are against.” That sentiment is not without merit—if the only thing you do is point out problems but never offer solutions or better alternatives you will not be as... Read More
18
Jan
2023
Wanting to Be Noticed
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We live in a hyper-sexualized and semi-pornographic culture. The problem dominates popular advertising, pervades our entertainment choices, and even weasels its way into our churches. The concept of modesty is no longer a standard for judgment, but an object of judgment. We’ve come to the point that modesty is sincerely regarded by many as a vice and... Read More
30
Dec
2022
When to Say “No”
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Many people are looking for excuses to do less for God. This post is not for them. This is for Christians who tend to burn the candle at both ends, for people who have a hard time saying “no.” I regularly meet with people who are overwhelmed with life. Sometimes it’s because of the pain... Read More
16
Dec
2022
The Eclipse of Divine Transcendence: A Historical Concern for the Christmas Season
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The Incarnation of the Son of God is the centerpiece of our celebration during the Christmas season. The eternal Son of God took on flesh and manifested in visible form the image of the (ordinarily) invisible God (Col 1:15) such that in him all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form (Col 2:9). In... Read More
14
Dec
2022
Why I Won’t Tell My Son That Santa Is Real
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*This post was originally published in 2013. My wife and I are looking forward to enjoying our first Christmas as parents, even if our son is currently more interested in putting wrapping paper in his mouth than in any other part of Christmas. It’s still fun to discuss what traditions we want to establish as... Read More
9
Dec
2022
The Use of AI Technology for Church Images
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A few weeks ago I drew attention to the AI movement and its complications with education. Namely, to what degree can students use AI and still consider the product their own work. Just recently, ChatGPT launched and now has over one million users. If you try to use it, you may see a screen informing... Read More
2
Dec
2022
The Scarcity of True Friendly Fire
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While preparing for a workshop on tolerance for the recent E3 pastor’s conference, I reread one of the more fascinating essays I’ve seen on the subject: I Can Tolerate Anything Except the Outgroup. While there are some flaws/blind spots in his assessment, I find the ending especially intriguing. Earlier in the essay, the author distinguished... Read More
18
Nov
2022
Biblical Counseling Certification
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In 2021 Inter-City Baptist Church became a certified training center with ACBC. Because our seminary is a ministry of ICBC, DBTS offers training that results in your ACBC certification. We offer two paths to biblical counseling certification. Path #1: MDiv Concentration in Biblical Counseling The first path is designed for MDiv students who are looking... Read More
10
Nov
2022
Confidence and Difficulty: Instilling Interpretive Confidence while Teaching on Difficult Passages
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I knew I had a difficult task ahead of me. The next passage to teach in my Adult Bible Fellowship was 1 Peter 3:18–22. If you have ever preached or taught through 1 Peter, you got goosebumps when I mentioned that passage. In just five verses there is complexity upon complexity. Even if we determine... Read More
8
Nov
2022
You Really Are Pro-Life, Even If…
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From time to time people try to discredit the pro-life movement by arguing that those involved with it cannot genuinely claim to be pro-life unless they also support or hold other positions. Statements like “If you were really pro-life you would also…” or “You can’t say you are pro-life and also…” are followed by a... Read More