I recently came across two free lecture series that I would like to revisit when I get some spare time. I will continue to update this blog post from time to time with more free online lectures that I find. Bruce Waltke | Lectures on the Book of Proverbs Here is a link to over 30…
The Postmodern Parade
Aren't we all just a bunch of cranky modernists? Isn't it time for us to drop all this talk about "reality" and "objectivity" and "truth"? I mean, does it honestly matter what really happened to Brian Williams in Iraq? Isn't it ok if what he thinks happened doesn't match up with what actually happened? Or even if he remembers what really…
An Open Letter to Congressman John Yarmuth
UPDATE: I received the following reply by email from Congressman Yarmuth in response to the open letter below. February 3, 2015 Dear Mr. Smothers, Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns about abortion services. I appreciate the benefit of your views on this important matter. I am committed to strengthening America's families and…
A Mother’s Choice
“She’s just too young to be a mother,” says the concerned mom of the pregnant teen. “I’m already the mother of two, and I feel like I have way more than I can handle,” says the exhausted wife, holding in her hands a positive pregnancy test. “I can’t afford to be a father,” says the college…
Lying on the Brink of War
On November 10, 1938, Adolf Hitler had this to say in a secret meeting with 400 journalists: "For years circumstances have compelled me to talk about almost nothing but peace. Only by continually stressing Germany's desire for peace and her peaceful intentions could I achieve freedom for the German people bit by bit and provide…
A Vision of Biblical Complementarity
In Recovering Biblical Manhood & Womanhood, John Piper speaks about two methods that can be used to commend a vision of biblical complementarity—the teaching that God has created men and women with distinct differences for His glory and our good. The first method is careful, exegetical argument that demonstrates the plain teachings of the Bible on complementarity. We need people who do this, and…
Seven: the Number of the Gentiles
It has been pointed out elsewhere that when you compare and contrast the two, the feeding of the 5000 and the feeding of the 4000 make a very significant theological point about the make-up of God's eschatological people, namely, that Jews and Gentiles alike are to inherit the kingdom of God. Some might think this a bit overwrought and…
Three-year-olds and Hermeneutics
"I'm scared daddy." These were the words that my three-year-old daughter surprised me with this evening. She was sitting at the table with her one-year-old brother and I was in the kitchen making dinner before our church's Christmas celebration service. Mommy was doing some shopping at Hobby Lobby and I was trying my best to…
The Root, the Crown, and the Trunk
Paul has a profound insight into this universalistic purport of patriarchal religion. His main contention with the Judaizers was that they insisted upon interpreting the patriarchal period on the basis of the Mosaic period. The reasoning (Gal 3:15ff) is in the substance as follows: through the diatheke with Abraham the relation between God and Israel…
Halloween or Un-hallowed-ween?
Tonight I was given the privilege to address Kenwood's college ministry. My topic? "The Grave Matters." Yes, it is supposed to have a double meaning: The grave matters—it is important to think about death and the implications of death—AND at the same time these are the grave matters—meaning they are very serious. I have posted my outline here.…
Anchored 