In many occupations, a person’s work has obvious and dramatic consequences. The contractor can remake a dark, dated kitchen into a beautiful, functional space in just a few weeks. The landscaper can transform a backyard by pulling weeds, laying new sod, and planting flowers and bushes in a few days. The dentist can relieve a […]
Even in this most affluent nation on Earth, the average American will at some point experience “trouble” in making ends meet, many on a regular, even lifelong, basis. It’s estimated that 67%–78% of Americans live “paycheck-to-paycheck,” with little left over after covering their monthly expenses. My guess is that many receiving this letter have confronted, […]
The sin of conceit is an unavoidable product of the fallen nature, a fact no less true within the house of God. Even for the most mature saints, walking with Christ for decades can seem to yield little success in the perennial battle against conceit. For some, successful ministries and growing giftedness can actually grow […]
“I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 On Friday evening, the sixteenth of May, two thousand twenty-five at seven o’clock, Bethlehem College and Seminary’s fifteenth Annual Commencement Exercises took place. This was a wonderful celebration of our triune God and the completion of much […]
A Reflection on Pen, Parchment, and Professors Dear Reader, I have a question for you: How many college and seminary graduates can say that they recognize the signatures on their diploma and that they’re known by those who signed it? Second question: Do you know the people in your classes and do they know you? […]
On Friday, May 17, Bethlehem College and Seminary held our fifteenth annual commencement exercises. This service of Godward celebration featured stirring testimonies from three graduating students, an address from Chancellor John Piper, and a charge from Pastor Steven Lee. By God’s grace, we conferred degrees on fifty Bethlehem graduates who will, we pray, make […]
“Visual Exegesis” is the process of drawing out (“exegeting”) the meaning of a text through a visual medium. It differs from other visual arts in that its goal is explicitly didactic—even “apocalyptic.” As with the verbal exegesis of a sermon, visual exegesis seeks to unveil and proclaim the authorial intent of its textual source. In […]
At Bethlehem College we study “Great Books” (i.e., excellent works of literature, history, philosophy, and theology) in light of the Greatest Book (i.e., the Bible). An example of how we do this can be seen in exploring the question: Are justice and mercy compatible? The Bible is our authority and most trusted guide for answering […]
My mentor Don Carson told me a story about a time he counseled a husband and wife who were wrestling with whether the Bible teaches complementarianism or egalitarianism. They finally said something like this: “We concede that the Bible teaches complementarianism, but we still don’t like it.” They believed it only grudgingly. Carson replied something […]
The Gospels provide scant details about Jesus Christ’s appearance, his education, his childhood in Nazareth, and various other matters. The Evangelists give representative, yet selective examples of his teaching and mighty works. Yet Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John each devote extended attention to the final days of Jesus’s ministry, which we often call “Holy Week.” […]