How do we go about articulating a Christian understanding of Islam? What are the distinctives of such an understanding as compared to other understandings? Given that Islam is not a monolithic faith, how do we go about distinguishing between all the variations of Islam current among Muslims themselves? What are the needs of Muslim peoples here…
Following Jesus’ example and teaching, the apostles interpreted the meaning, significance, and application of the entire Bible in light of Jesus’ person and work. Their preaching was the preeminent display of this hermeneutical commitment. When the apostle Paul declared, “For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified,” he…
The following post is part three in a series of posts titled: Can Jesus heal mental illness? by Heath Lambert. Read also part one and two of this series. Jesus, healing, and the spiritual nature of mental illness In Part 1 of this series I discussed the difficulty of defining mental illness because it is not a…
**This article was originally posted in March of this year. If seminarians will learn the habit of thinking about God’s truth as a means of enjoying him, then they will not waste their theological education, said John Piper during a special, pre-convocation chapel service, Jan. 23, at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. “[tweetable]God gave you…
One of the greatest Southern Baptist forebears is John A. Broadus, who with James P. Boyce, William Williams and Basil Manly Jr., founded The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1859. The fledgling seminary closed during the Civil War and restarted afterwards with only seven students, and four faculty who took no salary. Only one student…
Matthew tells us about a time in which the religious leaders came before Jesus and said, “What we want from you Jesus is a sign, give us a sign.” They’re using the same kind of language that they have used all along. Jesus after all has stood before them casting out demons and they…
The following post is part two in a series of posts titled: Can Jesus heal mental illness? by Heath Lambert. You can read part one here. “Mental illnesses” are spiritual issues In my previous post I tried to demonstrate that mental illness is not a concrete object like a wheelbarrow, but is an abstract…
What lessons have you learned from George Washington? Three aspects of Washington’s leadership are models for my leadership at Westminster: character, concern for the good of the whole institution and self-denial. First, Washington’s life showed that character matters. Honesty, humility, perseverance, conviction for and adherence to core values were all aspects of his renowned…
In the following videos, Heath Lambert discusses biblical counseling and its relationship to expository preaching, calvinism, ecclesiology etc. with Jay Adams, author of Competent to Counsel and founder of the modern day biblical counseling movement. Part 1: What is the relationship between biblical counseling and preaching? Part 2: What is the relationship between biblical counseling…
Did Jesus have to be resurrected for this sermon to work? If not, start over
One of the questions we get asked a lot in the biblical counseling movement concerns whether Jesus can heal those with a mental illness. The question is asked by people who are concerned about Scripture’s sufficiency and Jesus’ relevance to deal with the most difficult problems that people face. Before we can answer the question we…
Perennial Bible scholar D.A. Carson, calls it “divine mathematics.” And that sounds about right to me. Although the New Testament is not a mathematics textbook, when it does speak to the issue it doesn’t follow conventional theorems or formulas. Under normal convention, five minus one equals four – obviously. Not necessarily so with God’s…
The whole Old Testament is realized in Christ. He is the second Adam, the true Israel, the prophet of the Lord, the Messiah, the Son of God and the Son of Man, and the Servant of the Lord.
Have you heard the ballad of the hoped-for hero? Ancient prophecies foretell his coming. Not altogether clear, shrouded in mystery, but enough to kindle hopes and keep the flickering flame alive. Everything depends on his coming. In fact, if these prophecies aren’t realized, there is no final defense against evil. No ultimate hope. No…
EDITOR’S NOTE: In what follows, Michael A.G. Haykin, professor of church history and biblical spirituality at Southern Seminary, discusses his new book — co-written with freelance writer and alumnus C. Jeffrey Robinson Sr. — To the Ends of the Earth, with Towers book review contributor Matt Damico. MD: Why is this book necessary? MAGH:…
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend five days with some of Southern Seminary’s sharpest students discussing the biblical foundations of Christian missions. We walked through the Scriptures together and identified how God’s Word speaks to our missionary task. One of the topics that always arises is the relationship between evangelism and…
Human parenting, and especially human fathering, points and shows something of what it means to know God and who God is.
Read part one of this post here. When you adventure through a process like the one my wife and I did – all adoptions are adventures and each presents its own set of unique circumstances and challenges – you learn a lot about yourself and about your marriage. Like anything else, you can either…
