davidsteele1966

Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God – Brian Zahnd

COMMENDING JONATHAN EDWARDS I will never forget a very special evening with a small group of Christ-followers at the McLean home. My good friend, Don suggested that we read Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Jonathan Edwards in one sitting – on our knees. And so a group of middle-aged adults gathered in Don’sContinue reading “Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God – Brian Zahnd”

Lincoln’s Battle With God: A President’s Struggle With Faith and What It Meant For America (2012)

Stephen Mansfield, Lincoln’s Battle With God: A President’s Struggle With Faith and What It Meant For America Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2012, 254 pp. $13.31 The sixteenth president of the United States is dearly beloved by conservatives and liberals alike. He is known for his exemplary leadership, uncompromising character, and love for liberty. Yet his approachContinue reading “Lincoln’s Battle With God: A President’s Struggle With Faith and What It Meant For America (2012)”

Short of Glory: A Biblical and Theological Exploration of the Fall – Michael Chase

Mitchell L. Chase, Short of Glory: A Biblical and Theological Exploration of the Fall (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2023), 212 pp. Most small children memorize Romans 3:23 as a part of their education in the church: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” These children grow up, having memorized this verseContinue reading “Short of Glory: A Biblical and Theological Exploration of the Fall – Michael Chase”

DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 6

8. Dead guys remind us about the power of the gospel and in so doing, lead us to the cross The heroes of church history can rightly inspire us, motivate us, challenge us, and fuel our resolve for living the Christian life. But in the final analysis, these godly people remind us about the power of theContinue reading “DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 6”

DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 5

5. The dead guys enrich us with rich theological treasures There are many theological treasures that should attract our attention. I mention only a few in this post. First, consider the great creeds bestowed on us by the dead guys. The Nicene Creed (A.D. 325), The Constantinople Creed (A.D. 381), the Chalcedonian Creed (A.D. 451),Continue reading “DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 5”

DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 4

4. The dead guys encourage vibrant Christian living The dead guys have wielded a powerful force for change in my life and have encouraged my Christian growth in ways that are beyond the scope of a 500-word blog post. Four specific things emerge in particular: Waking Early – There was a day when I felt like wakingContinue reading “DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 4”

DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 3

2. Dead guys remind us how God can take the most hardened sinner and transform him into a trophy of God’s grace In 354 a baby was born. His name – Aurelius Augustine. The young boy was a sinner by birth (Ps. 51:5). As he grew older, became increasingly comfortable with his status as a sinner. AsContinue reading “DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 3”

DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 2

REASONS FOR UNEARTHING THE DEAD GUYS What is the rationale for unearthing the dead guys? In his introduction to Athanasius’s masterpiece, On the Incarnation (a book written over 1,600 years ago), C.S. Lewis discusses the propensity of many people to gravitate to the new when all the while neglecting the old: “This mistaken preference for the modernContinue reading “DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 2”

DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 1

The smell of burning flesh hung in the air. The villagers turned their heads and gasped. Stray dogs fled. The man’s wife wept bitterly. His children watched in disbelief. The stench was a vivid reminder of who sat on the throne. Mary Tudor ruled with ironclad authority. Her subjects were obligated to obey. Any dissenters would pay theContinue reading “DEAD MEN TALKING – Part 1”

A Biblical Case Against Theistic Evolution – Wayne Grudem, Ed.

Wayne Grudem, Ed. A Biblical Case Against Theistic Evolution (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2022), 256 pp. My first exposure to theistic evolution came almost forty years ago in high school. The notion of theistic evolution was especially troubling to me at that time because the person who espoused it was my science teacher who was aContinue reading “A Biblical Case Against Theistic Evolution – Wayne Grudem, Ed.”