This month we’re going to do another three part look at a single Biblical book: Paul’s letter to the Galatians. As in May with the three blogs on Jonah, we’ll look first at background, then circumstances and concerns of the individuals involved, and finally how to bring Galatians’ lessons forward. Today we start with Why […]
Jonah: How Big is our Love and other Lessons for Today
In this third and final blog on Jonah and love, we explore how to bring the text forward, building on last week’s focus on the world BEHIND the text. This is the linchpin of Bible Study, the ‘so what’ question? “So what does this have to do with life today?” If we don’t apply the text, […]
Jonah: An Ancient Archie Bunker?!
Last week’s blog in this three part series was the world OF the text. Now is part two: the world BEHIND the text (concerns, circumstances and experiences of individuals). One way to initially unpack a Biblical text is to find out when it was written– providing often-significant context for why this story, told at this […]
Jonah’s Enemies: Narrowness & Nationalism
Jonah is one of those Biblical books that can make me squirm. More than the ‘whale of a tale’ of childhood Bible stories, this parable offers food for thought sometimes tough to digest, not unlike the whale who couldn’t quite swallow this Avoider. Jonah makes us look closer at hints of self-absorption that make me want to […]
Bringing the Resurrection Forward
It’s hard to focus too much on the resurrection. No one understood this better than Paul who preached it throughout his 30-year ministry. Writing to the Corinthians, he asks: If Christ hasn’t been raised, then our preaching is useless and your faith is useless… then we deserve to be pitied more than anyone else […]