The last few days have been an amazing time of fellowship with other brothers and sisters.
We have heard stories of the triumph of the Gospel and stories of the evils of Satan.
Through all of these stories one thing is clear:
Our Father is doing amazing things in this place.
Thanks for your prayers.
Please continue to pray for us and our brothers and sisters.
We've just finished up 1st Peter in a flurry of teaching leaving just about 5 minutes left in our last class.
The students have been amazing and deeply encouraging.
We head to China tomorrow to minister to some leaders there...can't wait to tell you more about it.
Day 7
Day 8
This time we ended up with a 2-2-2 tie.
And like baseball, tie goes to the runner (writer).
I chose:
Expositional Study: Write an exposition on the Book of Haggai. The exposition should include: a statement of the overall message, an outline of the book based on the overall message, and a brief explanation of each paragraph as the message is developed in the argument of the text. Obviously comments cannot be made on every verse in the book but all significant statements should be dealt with in your brief explanations.
You can download it here ---> Download BookofHaggai
The book is a great reminder of how obedience to God brings his presence and with it, his blessings.
Honestly, I knew Fuller trends to a more progressive view of theology and culture than I could align myself with.
This article written by their president shows that progression.
"Those of us who have made the effort to engage Mormons in friendly and sustained give-and-take conversations have come to see them as good citizens whose life of faith often exhibits qualities that are worthy of the Christian label, even as we continue to engage in friendly arguments with them about crucial theological issues."
1. There are plenty of Atheists, "whose life of faith often exhibits qualities that are worthy of the Christian label..." Thankfully, they won't be taking that label, no matter how broad and culturally savvy Mouw wants to make it. They're not taking the label because they don't follow Christ. Neither do Mormons...at least not the same Christ the Bible teaches.
2. One of the biggest problems with this article is that it makes Christ somehow trans-belief, trans-religion figure that can be found in equal amounts of truth in religions other than Orthodox Christianity. For example: Matt 5:17-19. If what Jesus is saying is true of the Bible, then what the Mormons believe about Joseph Smith, their continuing revelation of their elders, and the Book of Mormon being supreme above the Bible isn't compatible with Jesus says about the Bible and what the Bible says about Jesus.
Mormons aren't Christians.
And, it's ok.
It's cheap to score political points at the expense of ones religious beliefs.
And,
It's theologically irresponsible to try and syncretize Christianity and Mormonism for the sake of Evangelicalism.
It only ends up as a disservice to Evangelicalism.
The time has come again to offer you the chance to choose the topic for my next paper.
The choices are:
1.Character/Expositional Study: Read through the Book of Jeremiah and collate all the personal references about the character, conduct, feelings, etc., of Jeremiah the prophet. Organize your material into a researched "character study" of this great prophet of God. Include an appendix in which you have listed each verse that you found in your study that applies in some way to the character of Jeremiah.
2. Exegetical Study: Work through Daniel 9:24-27 and develop an analysis of these verses. Based on this analysis (including Hebrew when available to the student) develop a chart or diagram of the "70 weeks" showing the major events in the prophetic structure. Both the chart and an accompanying textual explanation should be handed in for this assignment.
3. Expositional Study: Write an exposition on the Book of Haggai. The exposition should include: a statement of the overall message, an outline of the book based on the overall message, and a brief explanation of each paragraph as the message is developed in the argument of the text. Obviously comments cannot be made on every verse in the book but all significant statements should be dealt with in your brief explanations.
Post your votes in the comments right here or on facebook .
Voting ends tomorrow morning, so get out the vote!
In an earlier blog I gave you all the ability to choose my next research paper for me.
4 of you obliged and in an overwhelming majority (3-1) the topic was chosen.
" Present several different interpretations of the elder qualification "husband of one wife" (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2) pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each view."
It has been finished and turned in.
I offer it to you here -----> Download HusbandOfOneWife
I'd love to hear any thoughts, critiques, additions, subtractions...whatever.
We'll be doing this again pretty soon.
Thanks for all the votes!
So, I've started up classes again.
One on the OT Prophets.
One on Acts and the Pauline Epistles.
Both allow great degrees of flexibility and choice when writing papers.
So, I'm giving you, my massive and unending readership, the choice.
You decide which paper I should write and I write it.
Choices:
1. What was Paul's emphasis on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 compared to what he wrote elsewhere on this subject?
2. Clarify the kind of separation Paul commanded in 2 Corinthians 6:11—7:4 and elsewhere, and apply this to contemporary Christian living.
3. Present several different interpretations of the elder qualification "husband of one wife" (Titus 1:6; 1 Tim. 3:2) pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of each view.
4. Explain Paul's view of the role that Scripture should play in church leadership from 2 Timothy 3:14—4:5 and other appropriate passages.
Either vote by leaving a comment here with a number or comment on facebook leaving your vote there.
Voting will end tomorrow morning because I've gotta start writing this thing!
Remember: You Decide, I Write.
On July 20th, 2011, Elijah Raymond Pritchard came screaming into the world.
In less than six days he's captured our hearts, peed on our arms, and brought joy into our lives that was previously unknown.
His presence has had us dreaming and these are some of things we hope and pray for our son Elijah.
That he would inherit these things from the men in his life:
The heart of worship his Grandpa Friesen has,
The heart for his children that Papou has,
The love of God's word that Grandpa Pritchard has,
The life of the party personality Uncle Jason has,
The inquisitive mind that Uncle Ryan has,
The gentleness and love that Uncle Josh has,
And the courage and fortitude that Uncle Nick has.
Mostly, we hope he inherits all that is good about the men in his life.
We hope that:
He loves God enough to be willing to be sent wherever to do whatever God asks of him.
He grows strong in faith, always questioning and probing the depths of who God is.
He learns to love selflessly instead of selfishly.
Finally:
Above all, we hope that like his namesake, he too will declare "My God is YAWEH" not only with his name but with his whole life so that he might proclaim the wonders, majesty, and love of his God in Heaven.
1 Kings 18:37
