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Book and Music Reviews: ‘Surviving and Thriving in Seminary’; ‘Hope of Every Promise’; ‘The Economics of Neighborly Love’; ‘Theology, Church, and Ministry.’

Surviving and Thriving in Seminary by H. Daniel Zacharias and Benjamin K. Forrest (Lexham Press 2017) Review by Andrew J.W. Smith Seminary is hard. Whether you’re single or married, seminary is probably going to push you in ways you didn’t expect. Beyond simply learning time management or sharpening their research skills, prospective seminary students need an…

Feature review: Encountering God through Expository Preaching

Encountering God through Expository Preaching: Connecting God’s People to God’s Presence through God’s Word (B&H Publishing 2017, $19.99) Jim Scott Orrick, Brian K. Payne, and Ryan Fullerton He preacher’s task is not just a Sunday morning endeavor. Instead, it involves much preparation and investment — seven days a week. While this task is essential to…

A Fresh Look at Martin Luther’s ‘A Mighty Fortress’

Since German is my first language, and since I grew up hearing this hymn from my parents first in German, I wanted to attempt a fresh version that might clarify a few obscure spots in the English text.

How the Reformation recovered the Great Commission

The Reformers didn’t just recapture the true gospel, they caught a vision to spread it to the ends of the earth.

What to expect when pastoring your first church

New pastors quickly find out that the church on the ground is different, messier, and more complicated than the church you envisioned in your head.

7 elements every worship service needs

As worship leaders, what we believe about God must always determine how we lead our churches.