Jan 24, 2015

2015 Expository Preaching Workshop - Preaching Jude in Today's Culture

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary is holding its annual Expository Preaching Workshop on March 2-3, 2015. The theme this year is "Preaching Jude in Today's Culture." Early registration for the workshop is $25 for students and $50 for non-students through February 26, 2015. After February 26, registration fees increase to $50 for students and $75 for non-students. The workshop will run from 4:00-8:00 pm on Monday and 8:00 am-4:15 pm on Tuesday. You can see the list of speakers, schedule, and more information here.

Jan 23, 2015

Bible-Minded Cities

Barna has just released their 2015 list of Bible-minded cities in America.

"In the annual “Bible-Minded” cities report, Barna Group explores how Bible engagement plays out regionally in the United States. The study, based on interviews with 62,896 adults over a 10-year period, shows how people in the nation’s 100 largest media markets view and use the Bible

"Barna Group ranks the nation’s top media markets based on their level of Bible engagement. Individuals who report reading the Bible in a typical week and who strongly assert the Bible is accurate in the principles it teaches are considered to be Bible-minded. This definition captures action and attitude—those who both engage and esteem the Christian scriptures. The rankings thus reflect an overall openness or resistance to the Bible in various cities of the nation." 


HT: James McCullen


Jan 22, 2015

Talking to the Preacher Before They Preach

Thom Ranier has some helpful suggestions about talking to preachers before they preach here. I know that before I started preaching I was fairly oblivious to some of the challenges faced by those who preach. 

Jan 21, 2015

Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain


Students of the Gospels are aware that there is some debate as to whether the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7 is the same as the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:17–49. Although most have concluded that they are the same sermon, I created the following table to try and outline the issue in broad terms.
 
Sermon on the Mount and Sermon on the Plain: Same Sermon?
Yes
No
·     Both sermons have the same beginning and endings
·     Both sermons have similar content with virtually all of the Sermon on the Plain paralleled in the Sermon on the Mount and often in identical order
·     Both sermons are followed by Jesus’ entrance into Capernaum and the healing of the centurion’s servant
·     The stated geographical location is different (mount vs. plain)
·     The Sermon on the Plain follows the choosing of the Twelve an event that does not occur in Matthew until chp. 10
·     The content is different (Matt 5:33-37; 6:1-6, 16-18; 7:6 are not found in the Sermon on the Plain)
Geographical and content differences between the sermons can be readily explained
Similarities can be explained by understanding that Jesus was an itinerant preacher who reused his material
Proponents: Origen, Chrysostom, J. Calvin, W. Hendricksen, C. Blomberg, R. Guelich, C. Quarles, D. Turner, D. A. Carson, B. Witherington
Proponents: Augustine, J. A. Alexander, E. H. Plumptre, L. Morris, E. Glasscock

Jan 20, 2015

The Gospel of Matthew by Davies and Allison

Those who have done serious work in the Gospel of Matthew are certainly familiar with the ICC commentary by W. D. Davies and Dale Allison. What I had not realized is the extent to which this helpful work can be attributed to Allison. Note the following comment by William Baird in his History of New Testament Research: Volume Three

"Davies is credited with the publication of massive three-volume commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, in which all three volumes list him as the lead author. Although Davies was the inspiration, architect, and supervisor of this monumental project, most of the actual research and writing (virtually all in volumes 2 and 3) was done by Dale Allison. Allison became a student of Davies at Duke in 1977 and worked with him on the Gospel of Matthew for almost two decades. He served as Davies's research assistant during the time Davies was at Texas Christian University (1981-85). Allison knew the mind and method of Davies and incorporated them into this comprehensive commentary on Matthew" (p. 298).

Jan 19, 2015

Book Writing Hack

Nicholas Carlson has some helpful advice for writing here.

Jan 18, 2015

Paul's Garden of Gethsemane?

William Varner has an interesting take on Acts 20:13 and Paul's decision to travel alone. You can read about it here.