Think Theology

Within the spectrum of Old Testament scholarship, the majority of non-evangelical scholars are advocates of the Documentary Hypothesis. This theory states that the Pentateuch (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy) was not written completely by Moses but by different post-Mosaic authors.  The theory suggests that these authors are determined by the usage of different Hebrew [...]

I’m preaching through the book of Haggai for the next four weeks. Today we started chapter 1 (audio here). We’re going to study each of the four prophetic messages that Haggai gave to Israel, but let’s talk background for a minute – the background for the book of Haggai, the tenth of the Minor Prophets. [...]

Yesterday morning I shared a brief message on the first section of Psalm 103 (audio here). It was really just a short devotional, but I believe God really spoke to me through the Psalm. The text spoke to me probably because it was Father’s Day and because I was struggling with teaching on the subject [...]

A few weeks ago I spent five days providing lectures for the Northwoods YWAM School of Biblical Foundations. The students and I interacted on the many subjects related to Pneumatology, specifically the Person of the Holy Spirit, the work of the Spirit in redemption, and the Holy Spirit in the OT and the NT. The [...]

“The centrality of instruction as advocated by the psalms has a second contemporary implication. Music leaders, writers, and performers need to become better versed in theology. It is not enough to be able to construct a tune and lyrics that are aesthetically pleasing and emotionally evocative. Music must be immersed in proper theology precisely because [...]

I’m working through Psalm 24, as I intend to preach on it this Sunday. I’m intrigued with the way that David starts this psalm: “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers.” – [...]

If you’ve been following my facebook updates, you’ll know that I’m deep in the midst of studying the Book of Joel. I own about six commentaries on Joel, but have been in need of something new and inspiring to read. So I borrowed one from my friend Tom. I am trying to read through Joel [...]

I used to think of the stories of the first 12 chapters of Genesis as somehwat indepedent and unrelated except for God and a connected geneaology or two.  However in this study I’ve come to see a unified progressive story of redemption that culminates into the story of Abraham and the covenant God makes with [...]

“Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by [...]

Wow…the first few chapters of the Bible are packed with basic foundational theology that really undergirds everything we believe as Christians.  But I suppose that shouldn’t be surprising.  I think we just miss it many times because we take those truths for granted.  In our culture of science and empirical observation the main question that comes to us out [...]

I love preaching. No, read that again: I love preaching. It is one of the highlights of my week, along with spending time among family and friends. Actually, I love everything that goes along with preaching. I love digging into the text. I love searching my heart when considering the implications of the text. I [...]

Somewhat related to my previous post is this book review at the Christians in Context blog of The Bible Among the Myths by John Oswalt. I am currently teaching on the Patriarchs and have purchased four commentaries on Genesis to aid my studies as follows: Gordon J. Wenam (Word series, 2 vols.) John H. Walton (NIV [...]

I’m not going to begin blogging on the differences between Reformed Theology and Arminian Theology and the debate about God’s sovereignty that has so often been beaten to death. I’m going to assume that if you are a Christian then you believe God is sovereign. Yet, there are some Christians who tend to hold to [...]

Day 5 and 6′s readings: 6:14-8:32 & 9-10. Our readings are getting into the heavy judgments of God’s against the people of Egypt. I wonder if the fact that God deals out judgments against all the people of Egypt when the main conflict is between God and Pharaoh is a biblical reference to what some [...]

I apologize for not posting this in the past two days. My daughter’s kindergarten graduation was yesterday and the day before was extremely busy. I’ll try and keep up here! I did read it… I promise Day 3 & 4′s readings: 4 and 5-6:13. In Old Testament narratives there are always characters, a plot, and [...]

Today’s read: 2:11-3:22. Our text follows the story of Moses leaving his Egyptian social standing after taking a stand for his true people, the Hebrews. After leaving Egypt, Moses heads to the land of Midian and finds himself a wife and a new trade alongside his father-in-law, Reuel (Jethro). Not only does Moses join a [...]

For the month of June, the friends that we worship with will be reading through the Book of Exodus. We’re following a handy book mark that breaks the book’s 40 chapters into 30 seperate readings (found here). Feel free to join us and to post your thoughts for various readings within the 30 day journey [...]