Interview with Missionary Bob Trout

Bob and Lynne Trout have been married for forty-seven years and have been missionaries for forty-three of those years (!).  Bob currently serves as ABWE’s Executive Administrator for Spanish Speaking South America.  He studied at Geneva College, Los Angeles Baptist Seminary, and Bob Jones University (D. Min. 1998).  He met Lynne at Geneva College and they joined ABWE in … More Interview with Missionary Bob Trout

Christian Athletes, Public Faith, and the Exclusivity of Jesus

Tom Krattenmaker doesn’t mind if Christianesque sports stars start their postgame interviews with general gratitude to a general god.  But he does mind the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob being real, the Bible being true, and Jesus being King.  And he does mind that athletes like Tim Tebow talk like it. In his recent … More Christian Athletes, Public Faith, and the Exclusivity of Jesus

Gold for Those Who Dig

I was grading several class assignments this afternoon.  They included comments on Scripture passages that deal with spiritual gifts.  Some were more general, some more specific.  Some summarized broad truths found in the texts, and others dug deeper into the nuances. It struck me as I compared the scriptural passages to the summaries provided in … More Gold for Those Who Dig

Stronger

This song has greatly encouraged and refreshed me this week since we sang it in chapel on Monday.  Perhaps this (below) is a faint resemblance of what the heavenly assemblies will be like, with every tribe, tongue, people, and nation represented, with lives of holiness that will forever match the heat of our singing, and with Jesus … More Stronger

Psalm 119:97-104

H. B. Charles, Jr. serves as Senior Pastor at Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida.  He spoke in TMC’s chapel on Monday morning to launch us out on our annual Outreach Week, focusing on Psalm 119:97-104.  I have realized over the years how blessed I am to gather together regularly with a Christian college … More Psalm 119:97-104

Three Cups of Tea

I have read parts of many books, which is to say that I have failed to finish many books.  Three Cups of Tea is not one of them. Greg Mortenson grew up as an American missionary kid in Tanzania, became a poor mountain climber spending his spare time in the Bay Area, failed quite colossally in … More Three Cups of Tea

Valiant Men

Shortly after Saul was killed on Mount Gilboa, David was made king and immediately began to establish his kingdom (1 Chronicles 11:1-8).  The Chronicler then records, “David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him” (11:9).  The first immediate evidence given to demonstrate how God blessed and supported David is the mass of trained, committed, fierce, … More Valiant Men

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

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”

Losing Christ

It is surprisingly easy to lose Christ.  Somehow, in the mix of schedules and priorities and programs and meetings and burdens and anxieties and responsibilities, the person we love and who so loves us gets lost.  It’s ironic that the blanket of good things that covers and warms our lives also tends to suffocate our … More Losing Christ