Category: Quotes

Church-Planting among the Unreached: Gritty Wisdom from Brad Buser (Part 3)

December 1, 2011

This is Part 3 of pioneer missionary Brad Buser’s invaluable lecture about relationships between missionary partners doing hardcore church-planting among the unreached. Brad and his family spent twenty years among the unreached Iteri tribe in Papua New Guinea, and his wisdom is at once gritty and golden. Be sure to read Part 1 and Part 2, … More Church-Planting among the Unreached: Gritty Wisdom from Brad Buser (Part 3)

Church-Planting among the Unreached: Gritty Wisdom from Brad Buser (Part 2)

November 30, 2011

Brad Buser and his family spent twenty years among the unreached Iteri tribe in Papua New Guinea. They learned the language, translated the New Testament, planted a church, and trained indigenous elders before leaving with their work accomplished. Here are points 6-10 of his course lecture entitled “Ministry Team Startup Talk.” Part 1 contains points 1-5. … More Church-Planting among the Unreached: Gritty Wisdom from Brad Buser (Part 2)

Church-Planting among the Unreached: Gritty Wisdom from Brad Buser (Part 1)

November 29, 2011

Listen to people with scars. That’s become a motto of mine. Brad Buser has scars. In processing some old files recently, I came across one of his handouts from a class on Cross-Cultural Church Planting at The Master’s College around 2004. I never took the course, but Brad and his teaching were so well received by the students … More Church-Planting among the Unreached: Gritty Wisdom from Brad Buser (Part 1)

Short & Pithy Wisdom on Decision-Making (from Anonymous Sermon Notes)

June 9, 2011

I’ve been performing a mass reorganization and clutter-cleanse over the last week and have been discovering all sorts of gold. Tonight I came across these unnamed, undated sermon notes with the working title, “Making Biblical Choices & Good Decisions.” I don’t mean to plagiarize, and while I do have several guesses about who the preacher might have … More Short & Pithy Wisdom on Decision-Making (from Anonymous Sermon Notes)

11 Characteristics of the Author of Hebrews by Robert Thomas

June 7, 2011

The identity of the unnamed author of Hebrews has been discussed for centuries. In discussions like these, it can be helpful (as long as it’s not overdone) to identify likely characteristics of the author based on writing, context, theology, intercanonical connections, and other legitimate categories. Long-time New Testament professor Robert Thomas provided these eleven “facts” on … More 11 Characteristics of the Author of Hebrews by Robert Thomas

Wise Thoughts on Corporate Singing & Song Selection

June 6, 2011

Here are some wise and seasoned words on corporate singing and song selection from William Gadsby and J. C. Philpot. These quotes appear in the dual prefaces to Gadsby’s Hymns: A Selection of Hymns for Public Worship (chosen by William Gadsby), originally published in 1838. With the glut of worship songs being produced today and … More Wise Thoughts on Corporate Singing & Song Selection

Trustworthy Sayings

October 25, 2010

Five times in his pastoral letters Paul passes down a “trustworthy saying” to his pastors-in-training.  Twice he says that these sayings are “deserving of full acceptance.”  He is not saying that the rest of his statements are throwaways — only that these five are distinctively fundamental, foundational, and firm.  They are worth reflecting on. The saying is trustworthy and … More Trustworthy Sayings

Notes from the Ph.D. (3)

October 1, 2010

Here are some nuggets of wisdom on academic research, quality argumentation, and dissertation writing.  These come from Wednesday’s NT Colloquium meeting (faculty discussion) in which a NT student presented a working proposal for his dissertation.  The ensuing dialogue was instructive on numerous counts.  I’ll give credit where credit is due, unless I sense that (public) … More Notes from the Ph.D. (3)

The Decline of the Greek Infinitive

September 29, 2010

Did you know that beginning in Greco-Roman times, the Greek infinitive began to decline in popular usage, and by the Byzantine period had all but disappeared in common communication?  There are a lot of little linguistic jewels in this description by Antonius Jannaris in his Historical Greek Grammar: Notwithstanding its convenience, the Greek infinitive, compared … More The Decline of the Greek Infinitive

Preaching Old Testament Narratives, and the Danger of the “Homiletical Hermeneutic”

September 29, 2009

I recently preached a sermon from an Old Testament narrative passage.  Along the way, I came across a helpful section of an article by Daniel Block entitled “Tell Me the Old, Old Story: Preaching the Message of Old Testament Narrative.”* Block attempts to bring clarity to the age-old question, “How does one preach from biblical … More Preaching Old Testament Narratives, and the Danger of the “Homiletical Hermeneutic”

Give Me This Mountain

March 9, 2009

With my $50 gift card to the Shepherds’ Conference bookstore, I purchased (among other books) Give Me This Mountain by Helen Roseveare, first published in 1966.  After reading it over the weekend, it feels a bit inappropriate to have gotten it for free. Roseveare was a medical missionary to the northeastern province of the Belgian Congo … More Give Me This Mountain

2008 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors: Greg Livingstone

February 7, 2008

I just returned from the 2008 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors in Minneapolis.  The title of the conference was “The Pastor as Father and Son.”  My dad graciously paid my way and we enjoyed three intense days of biblical preaching, singing, and fellowship. D. A. Carson was the keynote speaker and spoke three times on biblical themes of fatherhood and … More 2008 Bethlehem Conference for Pastors: Greg Livingstone