Kingdom People

Last Sunday, I had my first opportunity to preach since coming on staff at First Baptist in Shelbyville, TN. I chose to do a sermon on Jesus’ parable about the Rich Fool. For friends and family who couldn’t be there (or readers who just may be interested), I’m posting the video from the sermon here. If you don’t have time [...]

My conversation with Brian, a Roman Catholic continues.

Previous Posts in this series:
Conversations with a Catholic 1: The Church
Conversations with a Catholic 2: Tradition
Conversations with a Catholic 3: Glasses
Conversations with a Catholic 4: Interpreting Scripture 
Conversations with a Catholic 5: Liturgy 
Trevin’s Letter 
I think you’re right to move this discussion in a particular direction. We’ve been sort of all [...]

During this time of struggle, Augustine accepts Neoplatonism, thus completely rejecting the Manichean concepts of God that he had adopted earlier. This new philosophy leads him to the question of evil’s origin. “I kept seeking for an answer to the question: Where does evil come from? And I sought it in an evil way, and [...]

Looking for a book that sums up the unique contributions of Baptist preachers and teachers to Baptist theology? Theologians of the Baptist Tradition is a terrific place to start.
David Dockery and Timothy George do a great job of compiling terrific contributions about important Baptist figures of the past. Each chapter is devoted to a particular [...]

Augustine describes his twenties as being a time in his life in which he went astray and led others astray. “I was deceived and deceived others,” he confesses, referring to his job teaching rhetoric, and thus the same pagan philosophies in which he has believed. It is during this time of “believing a lie” that [...]

 The first three books of the Confessions present the first nineteen years of Augustine’s life. The autobiographical portion of the book opens as a prayer of thanks and praise to God and an acknowledgement that “restless is our heart until it comes to rest in You.” Before beginning his story, Augustine ponders God’s immensity and [...]

Perhaps no other author or theologian has more profoundly shaped Western civilization and the Christian church than Saint Augustine (354-430). His contributions to Christian theology have helped shaped the present day view of the Trinity, while his conception of societas – a community held together and identified by its love and loyalties, has become the [...]

O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you:
I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things,
plans formed of old, faithful and sure.
You have been a stronghold to the poor,
a stronghold to the needy in his distress,
a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat;
for the breath of the ruthless [...]

“Never read the Word so you can appear more knowledgeable or wiser. Study it to learn of your sins and how to discipline yourself, for this will benefit you more than knowing the answers to many difficult questions.”
- Thomas a Kempis, The Imitation of Christ

My conversation with Brian, a Roman Catholic, continues. You can read previous posts by clicking on the links below.
Conversations with a Catholic 1: The Church
Conversations with a Catholic 2: Tradition
Conversations with a Catholic 3: Glasses
Conversations with a Catholic 4: Interpreting Scripture 
Brian’s Letter 
Let me address the Eucharist, statues and icons, etc. later. Remember, a 2000 year [...]