by Kenny Burchard | Feb 10, 2017 | Anthropology, Creation, Israel, Sin, The Kingdom of God, Theodicy, Theological Studies
I just finished reading through the book of Genesis again — this time, in the YouVersion online version of the New Living Translation. To read Genesis is to read an epic drama! At some points along the way as I read, I found myself in tears, and found my heart...
by Robby McAlpine | Feb 8, 2017 | Charismatic Theology, Christology, Church History, Ecclesiology, Epistemology, Gospel, The Kingdom of God, Theological Studies
“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16) Some people don’t like doctrinal statements, viewing them as a tool of oppression and exclusion. They would...
by Luke Geraty | Jan 7, 2017 | Ecclesiology, Pneumatology, Soteriology, Systematic Theology, The Kingdom of God, Theological Studies
One of my favorite worship albums is Jeremy Riddle’s “The Now and Not Yet.” This “now and not yet” theology was made somewhat “famous” amongst Evangelicals by the scholarly work of George Eldon Ladd, especially in his The...
by Kenny Burchard | Nov 15, 2016 | Christology, Gospel, Israel, Sin, Soteriology
One of the most familiar stories in the Bible is the Passover narrative in Exodus 12:1-42. In God’s dramatic deliverance of Israel from Egyptian captivity and slavery, and his protection of them from the death plague about to fall on all the first born males in...
by Kenny Burchard | Oct 26, 2016 | Gospel, Israel, Soteriology, Theological Studies, Wesleyan-Arminian
The doctrine of election (and what it really means to be elect or not) has been distorted, misunderstood, and misrepresented to the point that it has become the wrong answer to the wrong questions. Namely, “Which particular individuals did God choose (before...
by Kenny Burchard | Oct 11, 2016 | Charismatic Theology, Pneumatology
Here’s part 1 in the series of short videos about the Charismatic Gifts of the Holy Spirit. Also, here’s a link to the Mounce Interlinear translation at biblegateway that I mentioned in the video. You can also watch and subscribe at the YouTube channel....
by Kenny Burchard | Oct 7, 2016 | Christology, Sin, Soteriology, Theology Proper
My first course in Seminary was called Theological Understandings of Jesus. It was taught by professor Mark D. Baker. On the first day of the class, he asked us to talk together about (get ready for some nerdy terminology) the hypostatic union. You know, Jesus is...
by Able Baker | Sep 12, 2016 | Ecclesiology
Remember when ketchup was declared a vegetable? In the early 80’s Congress cut $1 billion dollars of funding for child nutrition. The USDA had 90 days to reorganize their standards under this funding cut. With a massive funding change the USDA needed to get creative....
by Michael Sterns | May 30, 2016 | Theological Studies
“If anyone should not find himself astonished and filled with wonder when he becomes involved in one way or another with theology, he would be well advised to consider once more, from a certain remoteness and without prejudice, what is involved in this...
by Able Baker | May 10, 2016 | Creation
In response to my recent article Faith Through The Lens of Natural Theology I received a great question from a friend on facebook. Able…“are there nuances of panentheism that you might apply or hold personally? Obviously, the universe isn’t God, yet we can...
by Able Baker | May 9, 2016 | Creation
A General Introduction I find the definition of theology as “The Study of God” to be too obtuse to be useful. I define theology in a more acute form (yet careful to avoid being myopic) as follows, Theology is the talk, conversation and discussion of the people of God...
by Able Baker | May 3, 2016 | Soteriology
Scripture is pretty clear that the ideal example of being a just man or good man is one who is generally not thought of as being a shallow and opportunistic kind of fellow (1 John 2:16). And in light of Scriptures stern warnings It seems like a bad idea to point to...
by Able Baker | Apr 30, 2016 | Gospel
Where there is a distinct language, lingo or even jargon there is a distinct culture every time. Often times communication on every level fails to a greater or lesser extent because this rule is neglected. Every time I hear an Independant Fundamental Baptist,...
by Able Baker | Apr 29, 2016 | Soteriology
A Plan? If you do a Google search of “What is the gospel?” you will find that almost all Christian denominations (especially evangelicals) that center their faith on the Bible, conversion, the cross and the resurrection explain the gospel in this way. First, admit...
by Able Baker | Apr 18, 2016 | Ecclesiology
There is a growing population of folks that say they are “Done With Church”. These people are being called “Dones”. I have friends that would identify as “Done With Church”. People might be quick to pass this movement off as a phase but it is actually more like...
by Able Baker | Apr 13, 2016 | Theological Studies
It really is a new, modern, and entirely progressive idea to consider the Christian label “conservative” as a word having anything to do with the practical, moral, or political distillations of a person’s theology. There has been a ton of ink spilled on the...
by Robby McAlpine | Mar 31, 2016 | Charismatic Theology, Ecclesiology, Theological Studies, Worship
The morning began much like any other: the smell of fresh-brewed coffee, the sun peeking over the mountains to the east, the calm reflective time before the day began in earnest. Was he awake, or had he dozed off again? Which is another way of asking:...
by Luke Geraty | Mar 31, 2016 | Baptism, Christology, Ecclesiology, Multiple Views, Theological Studies
Throughout the 2,000 year history of the Church, the subject of baptism has produced a wide variety of approaches. It is essentially impossible to suggest that the Church has a monolithic approach to the topic because history proves otherwise. And while baptismal...
by Kenny Burchard | Mar 23, 2016 | Anthropology, Creation, Gospel, Hell, Sin, Soteriology, Theological Studies
So many fallacies abound (and are passed on by being repeated over and over again) regarding the Genesis account of the creation of humanity, the nature of the first humans before and after the fall, and the nature of the human soul (or spirit, or both if one thinks...
by Able Baker | Mar 21, 2016 | Baptism
Our congregation celebrates an ancient Christian practice called paedobaptism or in non-technical terms infant baptism. A majority of Christians around the world practice infant baptism. Some churches teach that this practice of infant baptism saves a child by...
