Friday, January 29, 2021

When the Prophets(?) Miss It

I'm not going to write anything original about the failed prophecies concerning the 2020 U.S. presidential election, but simply share links to articles, videos, and podcasts I have found to be helpful on this matter.


When Political Prophecies Don't Come to Pass article by Dr. Craig Keener

Failed Trump Prophecies Offer a Lesson in Humility article by Dr. Craig Keener

Las profecías no cumplidas sobre Trump brindan una enseñanza de humildad artículo por el Dr. Craig Keener

Making Sense of Prophecy and Politics video from The Remnant Radio

Everyday Theology: Prophets Don't Know the Future audio podcast with host Aaron Ross and guest Rick Wadholm Jr. 

Prophetic Accountability article by T. Allen Lucas




Wednesday, January 20, 2021

The Greatest Threat Lies Within

As Dr. Martin Mittelstadt pointed out when he was a guest lecturer in the New Testament Theology class I took in seminary, the book of Acts recounts alternating external and internal threats to the early church. First, after Peter and John were used by God in the healing of the lame man at the temple gate, the Sanhedrin threatened them not to teach in the name of Jesus any more. Then in Acts 5, the church faced the case of Ananias and Sapphira, in which two church members tried to make themselves look more pious and generous than they really were. In that same chapter (starting in verse 17), we once again find persecution and threats from the Jewish religious leaders. In Acts 6, a dispute over the Greek-speaking widows being neglected in the charitable food distribution threatened the unity of the church. The pattern of challenges from outside and inside the body of believers continues throughout the rest of Luke's account.

Friday, January 8, 2021

2020 Reading List

In the midst of all the craziness and confusion that was 2020, I believe I read more books than any other year in my life. While I read more pages per year during my time in seminary, most of those books were 300+ pages each (some over 1000 pages), so the actual count of books those years was lower.

In no particular order, here goes.

I read the whole Bible in about 100 days using the YouVersion Bible app's 90-day reading plan

Tuesday, January 5, 2021

Put that verse back in its context

I've been listening to this wonderful review and analysis of words given at the end of 2019 or the beginning of 2020 by people who claimed to have heard a prophetic message from God. The host are not cessationist naysayers who believe that the gifts disappeared with the death of the last apostle of Jesus Christ, but are themselves Pentecostal/Charismatic believers who hold to the continuation of the gifts of the Holy Spirit into the current time. Also, the pastors and scholars they had on as guests to review and analyze these "prophetic words" are also continuationists (they believe the gifts are still valid and active today).