Editors Note: This is the fourth post in a series on Expository Readiness. You can read the other parts of this series here: part 1, part 2, part 3, and part 4. The Promises Paul follows those three exhortations with two promises for those who continually prepare themselves: “for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers” (1…
In reflecting on this season of the year, I have often wondered how a Martian reporter would write a story about Christmas in the United States. If one only had the dominant cultural icons of TV, movies, news media and retail stores, my guess is that the Martian viewing audience wouldn’t have a clue as…
In his newest book, Risky Gospel, Owen Strachan includes a chapter about “building a public witness.” In it, he demonstrates from the life of Jesus how Christians should live their faith in the culture surrounding them. He proposes “three major elements” of the Christian public witness, which he states as imperatives. The first two, respectively,…
EDITOR’S NOTE: Below, James M. Hamilton Jr., associate professor of biblical theology at Southern Seminary, discusses his new book, What Is Biblical Theology?, with Towers book review editor Matt Damico. A brief review of the book can be found here. MD: Why did you write this book? JH: I wrote the book because I…
At best, television dads are nominal or figurehead leaders of the home, but at worst, they are relegated to the intellectual level of the family pet.
*Andrew Peterson is a singer-songwritter and author based in Nashville, Tenn. You can learn more about his music and books at Andrew-Peterson.com How did you come to weave stories into the music you write differently from other contemporary Christian music artists? There’s an earthiness in the songs that I loved when I first…
Southern Seminary students and faculty of contemporary times understand the temporary reprieve that comes at the end of the fall semester, perhaps using the extended Christmas break to travel and visit family or catch up on personal reading and research. The campus is a virtual ghost town in the days leading up to and following…
Christian hip hop artist Marcus “Flame” Gray, a 2010 graduate of Boyce College, released his seventh album, Royal Flush, earlier this year. In the following, the native of St. Louis, Mo., answers questions about the new album. How does this album fit with your other albums? Sonically, the album is a return to the raw hip…
Headed to the G3 conference near Atlanta in January? There is a special rate for Southern students and also the opportunity to earn a scholarship of at least a $1000 towards a degree at Southern. You can learn more about this scholarship here. The conference will be held on January 23-25 in Atlanta, Ga. and…
“Seminary is so busy,” we’ve all said. Work, family, school, church and everything else presses for our time. As a student, this never feels more true than finals week. But as soon as finals are over, the narrative goes, then we’ll get things back in order, then we’ll make up for the neglect we’ve shown…
We tend to hold very strong views about parental discipline, and those views are often rooted in our experience.
Today is Thanksgiving Day. And what a wonderful day it is. The holiday stirs up wonderful thoughts of turkey, pumpkin pie, family gatherings, football, The Macy’s Day parade, pilgrims and — sometimes — even thankfulness. If we’re honest, we might consider that last item on the list less frequently than we want. Thanksgiving, like Christmas,…
It’s been interesting to think about our culture in terms of its celebration of holidays. Here in Louisville, Halloween has become a big deal. Several streets now feature weeks-long decoration parties, as families and residents try to outdo one another by putting up the most zombies, vampires, and cobwebs. My wife and I, working from…
Editors Note: This is the fourth post in a series on Expository Readiness. You can read the other parts of this series here: part 1, part 2, and part 3. Persist in This The third imperative in 1 Timothy 4:16 is “persist in this.” What is “this?” “This” is paying attention to your life and doctrine.…
Fifty years ago, Nov. 22, 1963, 20th century author and English scholar C.S. Lewis died. Five decades later, his influence continues to grow. Towers editor Aaron Cline Hanbury asks Alister McGrath, theologian, intellectual historian and apologist at King’s College London, about the legacy of Lewis and his new books, C.S. Lewis — A Life and…
C.S. Lewis is to evangelicalism what Elvis is to rock music. It is doubtful that you will find a multitude of Lewis impersonators if you visit Las Vegas; it would certainly be comical if you did, but in the same way that Elvis is an unavoidable figure in the history of American pop culture, you…
Editors Note: This is the third post in a series on Expository Readiness. You can read part one of this series here and part two here. And To Your Teaching Pay close attention not only to yourself but also to your teaching. This is the second imperative in 1 Timothy 4:16. My observation is that most ministers aren’t…
Can you briefly describe your sermon preparation? I take two days to prepare. The first day is exegesis. I need my sermon outline, both the exegetical outline first, and then homiletical outline by the first day. On the second day, I write the introduction and work on application with some friends. I’ll get a…
