Does the world need North Americans to continue sending missionaries worldwide to finish the task of seeing all people hear the gospel? Or have we done our part, and now it is time for those in other nations to finish the task in their homelands? A recent article taking the first position was criticized in a response in another journal here, highlighting the two opposing views. I just finished a book that charts a helpful “middle course” between the two.
Leave a CommentTag: History of Christianity
Artists are able to see beauty before it exists, and bring it into being, taking raw materials such as paint, canvas, clay, metal, fabric, notes, words or movement, and producing something of value. I believe this is what Christians are called to do in culture—take what God has created and produce something of value, which leads to human flourishing and the common good. As Ted Turnau puts it, “God commands us to develop his creation. It makes sense, then, that the Bible begins with a garden and ends with a city.” (Popologetics: Popular Culture in Christian Perspective, p. 54)
Leave a CommentWanting to avoid the extremes of the Demolition Engineer, many Christians go to the other extreme—a Cheerleader of culture. But this is equally unbiblical and problematic.
Leave a CommentMy friend was a Demolition Engineer in the Army. He complains that now he can’t enjoy beautiful architecture—his mind immediately goes to where to put the charges in order to destroy the building. This is how many Christians relate to culture.
3 CommentsIt either happened this week 1,984* years ago or it didn’t. If it did, God came to earth and can provide the flourishing and eternal life He promised. If it didn’t, anyone who believes the Easter myth is a fool. The past four weeks I’ve responded to six common objections to Jesus’ bodily resurrection that first Easter morning. But there is a seventh objection worth considering…
Leave a CommentEaster is fast approaching, so I’m discussing whether it is really worth celebrating. If it is based on a fact of history—Jesus’ resurrection—then everyone worldwide should celebrate it, because it proved Jesus is the One True God. If it is based on a lie—there actually was no resurrection—then Christianity is simply false and Christians are fools to follow this dead “savior”! So which is it? . . .
2 CommentsAs we approach Easter, we are reminded that our faith stands or falls on whether Jesus rose from the dead. Either our faith in Jesus as God in flesh is founded on a verifiable fact of history, or we are following a false messiah who failed to prove his claim to be God. Last week I gave five evidences the tomb was really empty that first Easter morning. What is the best explanation of this fact? Besides Jesus’ bodily resurrection there are six other explanations often given. This week and next I’ll unpack these and show why they are inadequate to explain all the facts. The only adequate explanation of the empty tomb that first Easter morning is the bodily resurrection of Jesus.
2 CommentsEverything we believe hinges on whether Jesus raised from the dead. But that requires an empty tomb that first Easter morning. Though you wouldn’t know it from the TV news shows and magazine cover stories about Jesus that “resurrect” each year about this time, the good news is that there is more evidence for the resurrection as a historical event than most all other events of ancient history, and many events of modern history as well! This week I discuss the first objection and five responses . . .
Leave a CommentAs Easter approaches watch for the TV shows and magazine cover stories questioning the resurrection of Jesus. With so much at stake, the questions and objections are understandable. If Jesus did raise from the dead it proves he is God, and therefore all he says is true, including his claim to be the only “way, truth and life” (John 14:6). If not…
3 CommentsDuring the intellectual attacks we have been discussing there were a small group of Christians who didn’t Retreat from or Surrender to the contemporary ideas at odds with Scripture. Instead they Engaged the ideas. They were in the world but not “of” the world (John 17:16). Their strategy was to “out-think” the critics of Christianity with sound reasoning and winsome engagement.
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