by Luke Geraty | May 30, 2014 | Biblical, Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
We have finally arrived to the area of Ken Wilson’s book, A Letter to My Congregation, that many of you have been patiently waiting for… Ken’s biblical arguments! How does Ken treat the Bible’s statements regarding homosexuality? How does he...
by Luke Geraty | May 20, 2014 | Biblical, Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
Okay folks… this is part three of the long overdue review of Ken Wilson’s A Letter to My Congregation (ALTMC). Please stop emailing me, sending me messages on Facebook, or sending me text messages asking me when it’s going to get published! Listen, I had a baby! Okay,...
by Luke Geraty | Apr 9, 2014 | Biblical, Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
Last week I published my first review of Ken Wilson’s A Letter to My Congregation (ALTMC). I wanted to start the review by offering my initial thoughts and a few observations that I appreciated about Ken’s book, along with a few of the issues I found/find...
by Luke Geraty | Apr 1, 2014 | Biblical, Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
Ken Wilson is the senior pastor of the Vineyard Church of Ann Arbor and has written quite a few helpful books over the years, including the “magisterial” Empowered Evangelicals (w/ Rich Nathan). Ken has somewhat recently changed his views on homosexuality...
by Able Baker | Dec 10, 2013 | Church & Pastoral
As a pastor I am overwhelmed by the struggles that women go through when it comes to abuse. I have asked God many times “What do I do?”. A pastor who goes through 6 or 7 years of theological training will not be prepared for the issues of abuse involved...
by Luke Geraty | Dec 4, 2013 | Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews
I’ve been using Logos Bible Software since 2010 and I do not plan on going back. Logos has immeasurable value in my life as a follower of Jesus, pastor, grad student, and avid reader. What used to take hours of time in research now takes minutes, and that...
by Able Baker | Dec 2, 2013 | Church & Pastoral
As a pastor I love the Mini Book collection that New Growth Press has put together! I want to interact a bit with some of the theological conclusions and advice these Mini Books posit. I believe these are tremendous tools for the pastor and the local church. Most of...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 30, 2013 | Biblical, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
Biblical theologies are all the rage these days, and I’ll be the first to admit that I am quick to jump at reading anything that claims that topic. I am also, by vocation, a preacher. When you combine “biblical theology” with “preaching,”...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 29, 2013 | Church & Pastoral, Reviews
Recently I read where a pastor, who is a man, acknowledge that when he is preaching and people get up and walk out of the auditorium, he generally assumes that people are leaving simply because they need to go to the bathroom or get a drink or don’t like his...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 26, 2013 | Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews
I’ve been following Trevin Wax’s blog for a number of years now and really appreciate what he writes. He’s fair, practical, and a great theological thinker. If you don’t follow his blog, you should. Apart from blogging and working for The...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 25, 2013 | Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
Jesus said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9) Jesus half brother, James, wrote that “a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” (James 3:18). Clearly the practice of...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 20, 2013 | Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews
I’ve been using Logos Bible Software since 2010 and I do not plan on going back. Logos has immeasurable value in my life as a follower of Jesus, pastor, grad student, and avid reader. What used to take hours of time in research now takes minutes, and that...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 14, 2013 | Biblical, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
When I was in college, I ended up taking three different surveys of the Old Testament (OT). You’d think that I would have a better understanding of the Hebrew Bible, but sadly, I was actually more confused. My professors ranged from approaching the OT as being...
by Luke Geraty | Nov 12, 2013 | Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews
My buddy, the good Dr. Cyril Guerette, recently suggested that I may be hiding my relationship with the hip hop world. In a conversation, he stated that, “Luke is/was a famous underground rapper who crashed at my place… During that time he proved to be...
by Able Baker | Oct 31, 2013 | Church & Pastoral, Reviews
From the time that I first heard of C.H. Spurgeon and read him I have wondered what he must have sounded like. Listen to this account from a reporter who experienced his preaching first hand… “Soon as he commences to speak, tones of richest melody are...
by Luke Geraty | Oct 22, 2013 | Biblical, Church & Pastoral
When I was younger, I was a part of a church that went through a leadership change and witnessed first hand how churches can fall apart quickly if they are too committed to a single leader. Over the years, I’ve remained concerned about this issue and have tried...
by Able Baker | Oct 21, 2013 | Biblical, Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
When it comes to lesson plans, sermon prep or personal study, a good study Bible can be invaluable to a busy pastor. Though many study Bibles (SB) fail in many areas, some stand out as very helpful tools. A couple of months back I read about the Gospel Transformation...
by Luke Geraty | Oct 17, 2013 | Biblical, Christian Living, Church & Pastoral, Hermeneutics, Reviews, Scripture
In 2011 Kevin DeYoung asked, “What’s Up with Lutherans?” His question was simply a conversation starter and brought about an excellent response by Paul T. McCain, “What About Those Lutherans?” Though Lutherans have similarities with...
by Luke Geraty | Sep 25, 2013 | Church & Pastoral, Preaching, Reviews
Full disclosure regarding homiletics: I am not a fan of the books that provide thousands of sermon illustrations. I own several of them and just find them to be either a bit shallow or hard to personalize. I’m sure some people find them helpful, but in my...
by Luke Geraty | Aug 13, 2013 | Church & Pastoral, Reviews, Theology
Dialogue between the different traditions that claim the term “evangelical” hasn’t always been gracious or effective. In both history, as well as my own experience, sometimes when different “denominations” talk, they often talk past each...