Study on Biblical Eldership: Recognized, Not Appointed “The authority of leadership in the church arises from recognition, not imposition.”1. Introduction: Why This Study MattersThe idea of eldership is one of the oldest lea…
The Context of Tension, Part OneWe have often talked a lot of about context and why it matters in the Bible. When you are aware of it, it makes the story come alive and more importantly, we are able to reference it as it was intended. …
Famine: When Context Starves, So Does the ChurchSome themes in Scripture carry what I call layered significance—layers that push far beyond the basic who, what, when, where, and why. These layers often make up an explanation of contex…
A Tale of Two Churches: Why Culture Is the Missing LinkI recently surveyed 100 church websites across the United States. My goal wasn’t to critique doctrine or nitpick theology—it was simpler than that. I just wanted to know:Do they …
The Five W's of Biblical Context—Plus the Hidden Layers Most People MissGetting the context conviction is a long journey. This is not a one and done lesson. Any church that teaches a Sunday sermon on this topic and calls it compl…
The Ruthless Elimination of Prooftexting: Why Context in Scripture Matters More Than EverWhat if one of the biggest threats to our spiritual depth isn't disbelief — but distortion?There’s a quiet epidemic spreading in the church toda…
So how do you look at sermons and messages on Sunday? Take a moment and think about it from the perspective of the speaker. They are trying to convey some sort of message about the topic of messy church, right? Hopefully the message conveys a …
Bible Prooftexting: Cherry-Picking or Solid Interpretation?Bible proof texting is selecting specific verses to support beliefs, often ignoring context. This article explains what it is, its dangers, and how to avoid it.Key TakeawaysProof t…
Eastern verses Western Culture in Scriptural ReferenceThis blog post covers a textual overview of our East versus West graphic. If you are looking for the podcast version, you can find it here.As you can see there is a lot of information…
Saving the Bible from Ourselves: Learning to Read and Live the Bible Well by Glenn R. Paauw is a compelling critique of contemporary Bible reading habits and a call to return to more immersive, context-rich engagement with Scripture. Paauw argues th…
The Told PrincipleYou may have heard about "The Told Principle" in episode three of our podcast. Or maybe you are just now stumbling upon this principle now.The told principle is taught to us at an early age. We go to school and we a…