Pastors and Adultery

Last year, Lifeway conducted a phone survey of 1,000 Protestant pastors asking the question, "If a pastor commits adultery, how long, if at all, should the pastor withdraw from public ministry?" I was quite surprised by the results. But you should see the results for yourself here.

Studying Ezekiel

Tavis Bohlinger interviews Ryan Boys here concerning studying Ezekiel.

Psalm 25 Links

I have been working on a commentary on the Psalms. I have decided to compile some helpful links that I discovered during my research. It includes a mix of exegetical and sermonic links. Here is what I have for Psalm 25 (in no particular order). Feel free to mention any that you find helpful in the comments section. 

Literary analysis of Psalm 25: http://psalmsstudy.com/psalms-literary-analysis-by-chapter/literary-analysis-psalm-25-lord-lift-soul

Joel LeMon: https://www.workingpreacher.org/preaching.aspx?commentary_id=4128

Analysis by C. J. Labuschagne: https://www.labuschagne.nl/ps025.pdf

William Barrick’s notes: https://drbarrick.org/files/studynotes/Psalms/Ps_025.pdf

John Piper, he Goodness of God and the Guidance of Sinners: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-goodness-of-god-and-the-guidance-of-sinners

Themelios 45:2

The August 2020 issue of Themelios is out. You can access the entire issue for free as a pdf, web version, or for Logos Bible software here.

The Purposes of Ancient Speeches in Texts

Mark Boda notes the speeches in ancient narratives could perform seven different purposes. He applies to prayers in Nehemiah but could be helpful in discusses speeches throughout the Bible.

1. Advance the plot.
2. Express the ideological message
3. Provide another point of view
4. Convey characterization
5. Provide the motivation for a subsequent action
6. Create dramatic effect
7. Provide information

Mark J. Boda, “Prayer as Rhetoric in the Book of Nehemiah,” in New Perspectives on Ezra-Nehemiah: History and Historiography, Text, Literature, and Interpretation, ed. Isaac Kalimi, (Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 2012), 274-75.

Church Members Who Will Not Return after the Quarantine

Thom Rainer discusses five types here. Unfortunately, I suspect he is right.