“But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our … Read More
Heaven’s Proud Reward and Crown, Part 2 of 3
“But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our … Read More
Heaven’s Proud Reward and Crown, Part 1 of 3
“But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our … Read More
Comfort and Clarity for Polarized Times
***Friends, the following biblical passage and thoughts from Timothy Dalrymple, President and CEO of Christianity Today, was a great encouragement to me this week and I wanted to share it with you. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has … Read More
The Art of Conversation
One of the purposes of this blog is to promote honesty and “constructive conversations” in your sphere of influence. With that in mind, and reflecting on the first Presidential debate, I thought I’d share a section on “The Art of Conversation” from a subscription-only list-serve I’m on. It’s a very practical piece from one of my favorite ministries, Axis, that … Read More
Marriage: Capstone or Foundation?
“Marriage, even in the minds of most Christians, is now perceived as a capstone that marks a successful young adult life, not the foundational hallmark of entry into adulthood. The nomenclature attests to this. A capstone is the finishing touch of a structure. It’s a moment in time. A foundation, however, is what a building rests upon. It is necessarily … Read More
Four Boards That Need to Stay Nailed Together
“Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.” Acts 2:41, NLT I was reminded in a Zoom call led by Thabiti Anyawhile this week that in the verse above God gives pastors four boards that need to stay nailed together: Gospel preaching- “what Peter said” The cultivation of new converts- … Read More
Exclusive Prayer & Ministry Update- 091820
Hi Friends, I haven’t given you a ministry update in a bit but, over the coming weeks, I plan to give you several. This week, I have a couple of exciting changes to share: Next week, I hope to show you a reformatted and updated version of the Carpenter|Theologian blog. We will be adding several new features and preparing for … Read More
Baptism & Its’ Significance, Part 6 of 6
One Final Concern- The Critical Need for Intentionality on the Part of Church Leadership in Encouraging and Facilitating “Profession of Faiths” from Non-Communicant Members: Karl Barth wrote one of the most important works on baptism in the last century. In it, he gave a scathing critique of infant baptism (yet, interestingly, he was not in favor of abandoning the practice). Two … Read More
Baptism & Its Significance, Part 5 of 6
Here are a few remaining clarifications and comforts, as well as a call for unity: On the Difference Between Adult and Infant Baptism: “Those who embrace faith in Christ as grown… [adults], since they were previous strangers to the covenant, are not to be given the badge of baptism unless they first have faith and repentance, which alone can give … Read More