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 […]
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 […]
Because Madelon spent the last month in New Zealand and Australia providing Bible workshops in eight cities (see posting under ‘Events’), she is delighted to invite guest writer, Dr. Susan Humble, to once again grace readers with her inspired Scriptural insights. Dr. Humble’s thoughts about how to unpack a text will hopefully prompt you and other […]
A favorite definition of leadership (after I worked in the field many years) is ‘one who follows in advance of others, the leadership of God.’ While Moses, Elijah, Paul and others embody this definition, lesser-known figures like Ezra merit a closer look. Described as ‘a priest and teacher of the law of the God of […]
A king needs a kingdom. Every child reading fairy tales understands this. The ancient Hebrews grasped it as well. Examining their history–as it unfolds from the Patriarchs, through the Exodus, the settlement of Canaan, the period of the Judges and finally the creation of a monarchy– is a study in kings, prophets and forms of […]
