by James W. Bryant and Mac Brunson
Some years ago one of the authors was invited by the Lutheran bishop of Dusseldorf to come to Germany and speak to his new pastors. The bishop had been converted to Christ long after he had become a Lutheran minister. When asked what he saw as the greatest need of his young, beginning pastors, he replied, “They need to be saved.”
In a private conversation with one of the young men, the author asked how he decided to become a minister. He shared that he was working in a trucking company and the work was very hard. He did not think he wanted to work that hard the rest of his life. He looked around at the various professions and decided that being a pastor in Germany would be easy.
German Lutheran pastors have their salaries guaranteed by the government, whether or not anyone attends the churches they serve. So this young man decided to become a pastor. He had no personal conversion experience and no sense of a divine call. There is nothing in the Bible that even approaches such an idea of the pastorate.
Why do some Christians love theology more than people? After all, from an eternal perspective, people matter more than ideas. It does not matter what you believe as long as you are doing good things in the world. Some people who do not even believe in Jesus are better Jesus-followers than Christians—these people are the real Kingdom of God.
Because of the extraordinary revelations the apostle Paul received, he writes, “A thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself” (2 Cor 12:7).
In the spirit of end-of-year top 5, 10, and 16 lists, here are the top 5 articles we’ve published at the B&H Academic Blog. Thank you for reading, subscribing, and staying up to date with all-things-B&H Academic.
by Elmer Towns and Ben Gutierrez
Christmas cards frequently proclaim, and Christmas carols echo, the well-known angelic pronouncement at Jesus’ birth of “peace on earth, good will toward men.”
Inductive Bible Study is a practical, relevant, and time-tested approach to interpreting Scripture. This volume incorporates insights from contemporary evangelical hermeneutics into an approachable, step-by-step process moving from observation through interpretation and on to the application of God’s Word. Each step is viewed through the lenses of the hermeneutical triad, exploring the historical, literary, and theological elements that impact how one observes, interprets, and applies the Bible.
Questions about the reliability of the New Testament are commonly raised today both by biblical scholars and popular media. Drawing on decades of research, Craig Blomberg addresses all of the major objections to the historicity of the New Testament in one comprehensive volume. Topics addressed include the formation of the Gospels, the transmission of the text, the formation of the canon, alleged contradictions, the relationship between Jesus and Paul, supposed Pauline forgeries, other gospels, miracles, and many more. Historical corroborations of details from all parts of the New Testament are also presented throughout. The Historical Reliability of the New Testament marshals the latest scholarship in responding to New Testament objections, while remaining accessible to non-specialists.
