“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light,…
Read moreThe Great Architect
The Tabernacle was a wonderful place of mercy and forgiveness. However, this “tent” was not meant to be the source of deliverance for all time. The pangs that the Lord endured to deliver his redemptive plan are mind-boggling, especially when we read, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God” and…
Read morePastoral Studies: Guest Instructor
This semester has been another outstanding term at Purpose Institute. I especially enjoy the Friday night leadership courses because they give us the opportunity to learn from the experiences of pastors and teachers who have seen both failure and success. These failures and triumphs will help us going forward and save time by not repeating…
Read moreChrist’s Influence
Jesus influenced everyone around Him in one way or another. The multitudes thronged Him for His mighty works, and the protectors of the Law crucified Him for pointing out their shortcomings. One constant remained throughout Jesus’ ministry: love. His compassion for people was birthed long before He spoke the world into existence. In the beginning…
Read moreTeaching a Bible Study
I begin with this statement: I do not believe there is any substitute for one-on-one evangelism. Going into someone’s home or inviting them to your house and discovering answers is a proven Biblical formula for discipleship. As technology advances, this format may be the only way to reach some who spend countless hours online. So,…
Read moreEarly Church Fundamental
When asked to identify something foundational for the early church, my mind gravitated directly to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the catalyst and most basic requirement for all we do. It brings “Spiritual birth” (John 3:5); the Spirit guides us into all truth (John16:13) and teaches us…
Read moreTimeless Evangelism
The types and methods of evangelism used by the 1st-century church and the church of today are still very similar. Certain freedoms and technological advancements have changed how we approach ministry, but the overall mission and mindset are the same. People have also developed a dependency on conveniences, which must be accounted for when…
Read moreThe Oneness of God Outline
The following is an outline that I had to do for an assignment to use if we were going to explain the Oneness of God to someone who has not heard of this doctrine: The Names of God. In Hebrew, the name of God is YHWH; sometimes represented in the Bible by LORD or…
Read morePastoral Studies II
The classes in Pastoral Studies II were an incredible wealth of information on a variety of subjects. Each class added to the next with useful information to add value to personal ministry and enrich daily Christian discipleship. From the notes taken in each class, I want to highlight the most personally impressionable portions of…
Read morePreserving the Apostolic Message
The Apostolic message has not only been preserved over the years, but it has thrived in the last 2,000 years. Councils could not rewrite our doctrine, as much as they would have liked to and succeeded in starting new sects. State religion could not mandate away Biblical truths, even though they burned heresies at the…
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