Cornfield Theology: Recent Episodes
Cornfield Theology
Redemption Hill worked its way through the Book of Hebrews for almost a year. We learned a lot, and we are still pondering more. Take a listen or watch to hear our musings.
In Galatians, the Apostle Paul has strong words about the preaching of a false gospel. In the 21st century, another false gospel is running rampant.
In Galatians, the Apostle Paul has strong words about the preaching of a false gospel. In the 21st century, another false gospel is running rampant.
Martin Luther brought the match, gasoline, and dry straw to ignite the fire of the 16th-century Reformation. Learn more about this mighty reformer.
In this podcast, we begin to walk through the life and teachings of Martin Luther. The mark left by Luther cannot be overstated, and we explain why.
Dear Diary, I do not pray, but if I did, I would pray that America becomes a secular nation. In time, with the right strategies, it could happen.
Is the Bible inerrant, or are there contradictions? We take up the question by looking at an alleged contradiction between Romans 4 and James 2.
It is not uncommon to hear another Christian pray about the common grace of God. So what is the common grace, and what does common grace tell us about God?
Taking dominion in the areas designated to you by God is hard work and requires taking responsibility.
What does it mean to be optimistic in your eschatology? I take on the question but ignore several others (for now).
It is not uncommon to hear someone say they follow Jesus but are not religious. However, the claim has a few holes.
How should we interpret the 2nd Commandment? In this podcast, we discuss whether having images of God is biblical.
The Puritan, William Perkins, of the 16th century, wrote his treatise, the Golden Chain. He explained the profound theology of Holy Scripture. In this episode, we discuss. If you want to listen to the sermon series on the topic, you can visit, https://redemptionhilldsm.org/church-life/sermons/?wpfc_sermon_series=the-grace-of-salvation
In this podcast, we discuss God's design for man and woman, and what marriage tells us about redemption.
The fight against abortion is spiritual warfare. And because the battle for life is spiritual warfare, the tools with which Christians fight are spiritual and physical.
The Scottish Presbyterian, John Knox, influenced the 16th century Reformation more than people realize. Take a listen to learn about his influence and why John Knox still matters in the 21st century.
In this podcast, we discuss the importance of celebrating the Lord's Table, some disagreements on this sacrament, and guidance for parents trying to discern if their kids should take communion.
What should Christians do when 21st-century pastors and teachers teach contrary to orthodox, historic Christianity? We have a few thoughts. Also, what is up with Asbury Theological Seminary? More thoughts.
2022 was another interesting year and my guest, Jacob Young, joins me to reflect on the year that was.
It is Christmas, and it seems appropriate to take a deep dive into talking about the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Plus, Shawn has a rock in his shoe because of what Andy Stanley said about the birth of Jesus.
I want to offer a thesis that is bound to rankle some feathers. Christians should prioritize church this advent, especially on Christmas Sunday.
The word ritual is not commonly used in Evangelical circles. The word sounds archaic, and thoughts of lighting candles and incense come to mind. But perhaps evangelical churches should not be too quick to abandon the importance of rituals.
The word ritual is not commonly used in Evangelical circles. The word sounds archaic, and thoughts of lighting candles and incense come to mind. But perhaps evangelical churches should not be too quick to abandon the importance of rituals.
Leaving a church should not be done lightly. The bar is high when it comes to leaving a church. Sometimes people will leave a church for the wrong reasons. Sometimes people will leave for legit reasons. On this podcast, Brooks and I talk about the various reasons for leaving - the good and the bad.
What does it mean to be a man? In our culture, masculinity is frowned upon. Paternity is a swear word. In this episode of Cornfield Theology I chat with my friend Erik about a biblical view of men and masculinity.
How do you know if you will be saved? Is it possible to know that your salvation is sure? Take a listen to the latest podcast as we discuss one of the most misunderstood doctrines of the Christian faith.
Let's make no mistake; biblical principles of orthodox Christianity are being challenged right now. The most recent example is from the Southern Baptist Convention. At the convention meeting in June of 2022, we saw a theological drift disguised in church politics.
The church must make every effort to avoid the exclusive nature of a country club. Therefore, the church must reject "country club Christianity."
In this podcast, we talk about God's design for marriage between a man and a woman. We begin in Genesis 1 and work our way to Ephesians 5. Take a listen to learn more.
What can a person know about God by observing creation? The controversy about natural theology rages on, so I invited my friend Kenny Ortiz on the podcast to help Christians think through the question.
n April 17th, churches from across the world celebrated the most important event in history: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection is the foundation of the Christian faith, and if it were false, then the whole of Christianity would crumble.
One of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith is justification. Why does the doctrine of justification matter, and what does it mean for you?
Maundy Thursday is about the humility of Christ exemplified by the washing of the disciple's feet. Maundy Thursday should cause us to love our friends and our enemies. After washing feet, Jesus celebrated the Passover meal, knowing that ultimate deliverance would come through his sacrificial death.
In Covenant Theology, God's conditional covenant with Adam is called the covenant of works. But notice who has not been created yet. Eve. Is this a design flaw on the part of God, or is God's design coming to fruition with reason and purpose? Indeed, there is no design flaw, but God works his plan to perfection.
Every week at Redemption Hill Church, we celebrate the Lord's Table. We celebrate the Lord's Table to remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. When a person remembers, they look back at an event. But remembering also means looking forward.
Christian liberalism has thrown off the clothes of Christianity and is parading around in a mardi gras outfit. The outfit looks neat for a moment, but underneath the outfit is a false gospel.
The word "defense" in greek is ἀπολογίαν (apologian) which is where we derive the term apologetics. Therefore, the basic definition of apologetics is a reasoned defense of the faith. This defense could be a public and formal debate. However, apologetics will happen on a personal and individual level for the average Christian.
Imago Dei means image of God. Every human being is made in God's image. No exceptions. The Greek term is ἐν Χριστῷ which means in Christ. Not all people are in Christ. But the latter is essential to understand Christian onology. Taken together, we see a beautiful picture of the nature and essence of a Christian.
How can you engage Mormons? We talk about our experiences with Mormons in the podcast and practical tips to engage Mormons. This podcast is part two or two.
What do Mormons believe, and are Mormons a part of Christianity? In this podcast, we compare Mormon theology with historical and orthodox Christianity. This podcast is part one of two.
Opening Salvo One of my joys as a pastor and preacher is to help the church read the Bible. My methods of teaching and preaching are an attempt to model what I want others to practice in their Bible reading. Before getting into the nitty-gritty I want to offer a few opening thoughts. First, as a general practice, Redemption Hill Church is encouraged to stand when the Word of God is read before the sermon. There is nothing magical in the act of standing, but standing is a sign of reverence before God’s Word. I do not know many churches that remain standing, but the practice helps place a focus on what God has said instead of what the preacher is about to say. Standing is not a principle for reading the Bible, but reverence is a disposition of the heart that every Christian should have when reading the Bible.
Second, because I preach expositional sermons, the church is learning to have its nose in the Bible at all times. I do not attempt to tell many stories. I do not use props. I do not “co-preach.” I do not tell jokes for effect. I will admit that my preaching is vanilla. I am not looking to become a celebrity pastor or star preacher. If I share a story, it supplements a point from the Bible. A goal I have every Sunday morning is not to be a distraction from the Word of God. But I want hearts and minds to be focused on God’s Word.
My approach to preaching the Bible is to trace the logic or thought process from the primary passage on Sunday. I do not want to invent a point or take away from what is emphasized. God is always the focus.
Hermeneutics Principles of biblical interpretation are called hermeneutics. In academia, the field is called hermeneutics. It’s a large field in academia. For example, when you approach a painting, you attempt to interpret the meaning of the painting. When there is a major cultural event, the goal is to interpret the event to understand its meaning. In this sense, all people are engaged in hermeneutics.
When a person reads the Bible the goal is to interpret what is written. The goal is to learn the meaning of the text. The question becomes how do you interpret a passage in the Bible? What any reader of the Bible needs to do is employ several interpretive principles to discover the meaning of the text.
The following are six basic principles for interpreting the Bible. There are additional principles but if you use these I am confident you will understand what God is saying through his Word.
Principle #1: Literary Context The surrounding literary context is key. Context is king! When I took a hermeneutics class in Bible college, my professor used real estate as an analogy. A real estate agent knows that location is the most critical factor for selling a home. You will hear Location! Location! Location! The same principle is true for reading the Bible. Context! Context! Context! A good Bible reader is aware of the surrounding literary context. For example, you will see this verse hanging on the wall in some Christian homes.
I can do all things through him who strengthens me.
– Philippians 4:13
Good Christian people quote this verse for various reasons. Yes, it’s a verse that can bring comfort for the person going through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4). However, this verse is often used out of context. Ask yourself this question. Can you do anything because of the strength that comes from Christ? Can you bench press 400lbs? Most likely, you cannot, no matter how many times you quote Philippians 4:13. So, you can’t do all things. What is this verse about? When you read Philippians 4:13 with the lit
It is good to ask questions. It is good to think well about what you believe. In this podcast, Logan and I take on common objections to Christianity. Joining us is producer Cory.
Every Sunday, Redemption Hill Church participates in the Lord’s Table. There are theological convictions for this pattern. One reason is that the Lord’s Table is an ongoing remembrance of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (1 Cor 11:23-26). And a question I often receive from parents is, when should I allow my child to participate in communion? It’s a great question, and I appreciate it when parents take the time to attend to the spiritual development of their children.
The role of parents (especially fathers) in the spiritual development of their children can be summed up with one word: discipleship.
– Shawn Powers
In what follows, I attempt to show the relationship between the discipleship of a child/youth and the sacraments of the church – baptism and the Lord’s Table. My desire is for parents to see the opportunities that lie in front of them to attend to the spiritual needs of their children.
Laying the Foundation Redemption Hill is baptistic and confessional. The combination of baptistic and confessional allows for a biblical and logical way to think about when a child should participate in baptism and the Lord’s Table. However, before getting into the process, I need to explain a few foundational convictions about both sacraments.
Creadobaptism There is a difference between paedobaptism and credobaptism. If a church holds to paedobaptism, that means they baptize infants. If a church is credobaptist, only those who profess faith in Christ are baptized. Redemption Hill is a credobaptist church. The theological position on baptism in a local church will inform the approach of communion. The credobaptist will point to various passages in the New Testament to affirm their position. They will also point out that there are no passages in the Bible affirming paedobaptism.
In contrast, the paedobaptist believes that New Testament baptism corresponds with Old Testament circumcision. The link between the two is from how a paedobaptist understands the nature of covenants. If you want to learn more about the rationale of paedobaptism, locate your favorite presbyterian friend.
Open Communion Redemption Hill Church practices Open Communion. Open Communion means that members and nonmembers may participate in the Lord’s Table. The only qualification for partaking is to be a professing follower of Jesus Christ. I know many pastors who take umbrage with this approach. However, I am hesitant to make a requirement not explicitly stated in Holy Scripture. For example, if my Presbyterian friend attends Redemption Hill and is a professing follower of Jesus Christ, they are welcome to participate in the Lord’s Table. The uniting factor between another Christian and me is not denominational status. It’s not what we believe about eschatology. It is not our view of Covenant Theology. But we are both in Christ. A person’s standing before the Lord Jesus as a justified sinner is preeminent. It says in 29.1 of Redemption Hill’s Confession of Faith,
All saints are united to Jesus Christ, their head, by his Spirit, and faith, although they are not made one person with him, but do have fellowship in his graces, sufferings, death, resurrection, and glory. They are united to one another in love. They have communion in each other’s gifts and graces and are obliged to the performance of such duties, public and private, in an orderly way, as to bring about to their mutual good, both
The hard truth is that suffering is a part of life. But how does a person manage the grief that comes with hardship? In this episode, I sit down with Aaron and Jocelyn Reichart as they open up about the loss of two children.
Series Intro Every month in 2022, I will be writing a blog post about anthropology, humanity, and sexuality. This series of blog posts will be used to foster discussion and to drive the reader back to Holy Scripture to learn about God’s grand design for men and women. I pray that these blog posts will offer greater clarity about God’s design for men and women. And I also pray that learning about God’s design for men and women will result in worship. This blog post builds off another blog post entitled Anthropology 101.
The Imago Dei In a previous blog post on anthropology, I touched on what it means for man and woman to be made in God’s image, also known as the imago Dei. Tomes and dissertations have been written about the imago Dei. Unfortunately, space and time do not allow for an extensive treatment, but a few more words about this essential theological concept need to be stated.
Creature and Creator Reformed theologian Anthony A. Hoekema develops the distinction between the creature and the Creator. God created man as a person and also a creature. A reason for drawing out the distinction is to acknowledge that God is sovereign over his creation/creature while at the same time not absolving man from personal responsibility. He states,
Keeping in mind the paradox that man is both a creature and a person will help us do full justice to both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.
– Anthony A. Hoekema, Created in God’s Image (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1994), 10.
The distinction between Creator and creature helps us remember man is not God but made in the likeness and image of God (Genesis 1:26). Man made in the image of God comes with tremendous responsibility, but our responsibility is given by God and under the sovereign jurisdiction of God.
What is the imago Dei? So what is a baseline definition of the image of God? Gerald Bray offers us a great place to start.
The image of God is the special status that all human beings have as those made to reflect our Creator’s character and commissioned to carry out his purposes in the world. The “image and likeness of God” (Gen 1:26) describes the special status of the human race, male and female, as God’s representatives in the created order.
– Gerald Bray, “The Image of God,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).
The special responsibility of men and women includes making babies, subduing the earth, and having dominion over God’s created world. While other creatures reproduce, only men and women create other image-bears. There are other creatures that can subdue and have dominion, but God entrusts humanity to have ultimate power over the earth. In other words, the Creator has entrusted responsibilities to his image-bearing
In an attempt to be fair and balanced, we take on several objections to Calvinism. Listen to part 2 to learn more about the great debate between Calvinism and Arminianism.
Calvinism is hotly debated. What is Calvinism and is it biblical? In this podcast, Lagan and I talk about my favorite flower, a TULIP.
Series Intro Every month in 2022 I will be writing a blog post about anthropology, humanity, and sexuality. This series of blog posts will be used to foster discussion and to drive the reader back to Holy Scripture to learn about God’s grand design for men and women. I hope and pray these blog posts will offer greater clarity about God’s design for men and women. And I also pray that learning about God’s design for men and women will result in praise.
Anthropology 101 There is mounting pressure on the church to conform. The pressure is coming from every angle. The questions faced by the church are: What does it mean to be a man or woman? Can a woman become a man, and can a man become a woman? What are the implications of how a person understands the self? All these questions are fundamentally anthropological. Anthropology is the science of human beings. From a theological perspective, anthropology deals with the origin, nature, and destiny of human beings (per Merriam-Webster). If a Christian wants to know what it means for a man to be a man and a woman to be a woman, then the origin, nature, and destiny need to be found in Holy Scripture. When a Christian searches the scriptures for their origin, nature, and destiny, the world of anthropology is intersecting with theology and, suddenly, the doctrine of humanity. Here is a insightful quote about the doctrine of humanity.
The doctrine of humanity is one in which we would expect ourselves to be naturally interested, because we are humans. But there’s more to the importance of the category of the theology of humanity than just that we happen to be interested in it. It’s actually objectively an important part of God’s ways with the world: of all the things God is doing with all creation, he has a special eye on the part of creation that is created in his image—that is, humanity.
– Fred Sanders, “The Doctrine of Humanity,” in Lexham Survey of Theology, ed. Mark Ward et al. (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2018).
The path toward having a solid understanding of humanity begins with a foundation of biblical anthropology. Thorny questions can only receive answers after the foundation is laid.
So Many Questions I want to argue that discerning proper anthropology is one of the essential conversations that needs to take place in the local church. At present, we are not having a conversation. However, if you’re going to understand yourself, you need good anthropology. Further, your anthropology affects how you understand others. If anthropology reveals the nature of a human being, then how did the nature of a human being come to fruition? Is the nature of a human being malleable, or is it fixed? A bevy of questions can be asked when delving into the deep end of anthropology.
The cultural conversation about sex and gender is anthropological. Since the dawn of time, sex and gender have been inseparable. Some would even use the words synonymously. But in the 21st century, because of philosophical hocus pocus that makes transubstantiation look like a fact, sex and gender are two different malleable concepts. Here is another question. What roles, if any, are there for men and women? Until recent church history, the church has made clear distinctions between men and women in the home, church, and society. Your anthropological foundation will inform how you answer the question about the roles of men and wome
Together for Good creates pathways for the church to come alongside vulnerable families in Christ-centered ministry. When parents face a crisis with no support system, they become vulnerable. When a parent becomes vulnerable, their children are at increased risk of trauma. Together we work to ensure that vulnerable families and children never walk alone.
Series Introduction Recently, I have been posting why Redemption Hill Church is confessional. The term confessional has lost its luster over the last 100 years, but prior, most churches held to a Confession of Faith. I attempt to show in these blog posts the value of confessions and why a local church should be confessional. This blog is part 3 of 4. These four blogs on confessionalism are about:
- The Nature of Confessionalism
- The Parameters of Confessionalism
- A Vision of Confessionalism
- Subscription to a Confession
If you are new to confessionalism, or the term is foreign, that’s ok. The purpose of cornfieldtheology.com is to introduce people to new concepts, terms, and theological ideas.
These four blogs on confessionalism have been adapted from a paper I submitted to the elders of Trinity Fellowship Churches in preparation for Theology Day before our General Assembly. This fourth blog post is on subscription to a confession of faith. If a local church pastor is a part of a denomination that holds to a Confession of Faith, then to what degree is the confession affirmed, taught, and defended?
Subscription to our Confession In confessional denominations, one of the most debated issues is about subscription. But what is subscription? Merriam-Webster offers a helpful definition. Subscription is the “act of signing one’s name (as in attesting or witnessing a document).” And it is “the acceptance (as of ecclesiastical articles of faith) attested by the signing of one’s name.”
Here is the question at hand: To what degree should an elder or eldership subscribe to a denomination’s Confession of Faith? A too loose subscription will result in a confession being rendered useless. What is the point of ascribing to a confession or statement of faith if you are unwilling to affirm, teach, and defend it? There will not be unity but pragmatism in a local church and across a denomination.
But, the aim of a collection of churches is to be united on doctrine. As I have said in previous blogs on confessionalism, uniting around a person is unstainable. Trying to unite around a methodology will not last. Uniting around a vision is great until the vision changes, and not everyone is on board with the change. Uniting around culture has the potential to be toxic. But uniting around truth can last generations.
Uniting with truth means churches in a denomination should strive for a subscription where an exc
Taking the gospel to the ends of the earth has always been the goal of evangelicalism. But what is a missionary, and what is the end goal of missions? I take up this topic with my good friend, Brooks Szewczyk. I think you will appreciate his insight.
Recently, I have been posting why Redemption Hill Church is confessional. The term confessional has lost its luster over the last 100 years, but prior, most churches held to a Confession of Faith. I attempt to show in these blog posts the value of confessions and why a local church should be confessional. This blog is part 3 of 4. These four blogs on confessionalism are about:
- The Nature of Confessionalism
- The Parameters of Confessionalism
- A Vision of Confessionalism
- Subscription to a Confession (forthcoming)
If you are new to confessionalism, or the term is foreign, that’s ok. The purpose of cornfieldtheology.com is to introduce people to new concepts, terms, and theological ideas.
These four blogs on confessionalism have been adapted from a paper I submitted to the elders of Trinity Fellowship Churches in preparation for Theology Day before our General Assembly. This third blog post is on a vision for confessionalism. How should a local church use its Confession of Faith? Again, the question comes down to utility and function.
In The Local Church Your church might have a statement of faith. You know, the 8-10 points on the church website that outlines the trinity, salvation through Jesus, and eschatological. But, unfortunately, there is a high probability that church A copied and pasted their statement of faith from church B. Church B gave their statement of faith to church C. There might be slight tweets to give the appearance of originality, but the pattern is the same. Now, on the one hand, good theology should not change. Good theology is good theology. But, on the other hand, copying and pasting a statement of faith is lazy.
Pastors need to know what they believe, even if it’s the same as the church down the street. It’s only when the church leaders know what they believe that they can teach the local church the fundamentals of the Christian faith.
When it comes to teaching, a Confession of Faith offers maximum opportunity. Here are a few ways pastors can teach and train using a Confession of Faith.
Discipleship A Confession of Faith serves as a tool for discipleship. Because of its robust theology – unlike most statements of faith – a confession can help a Christian understand the depth of Holy Scripture in great detail. A confession is a tool for a new believer, allows for discipleship in the home, and an ongoing catechism for older believers. Because of the theological depth of a confession, there is a sense that there is always more to discover. Here is an example of how a Confession of Faith can be an excellent teaching tool for discipleship. Here is 9.2 of our Confession of Faith.
The Son of God, the second person in the Holy Trinity, is the true and eternal God, the brightness of the Father’s glory, of one substance and equal with him who made the world, who upholds and governs all things he has made. When the fullness of time had come, he took upon himself man’s nature, with all the essential properties and common infirmities of it, yet without sin. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of the virgin Mary when the Holy Spirit came down upon her and the power of the Most High overshadowed her. So he was born of a woman of the tribe of Judah,
Presents. Trees. And Christmas Lights. All these traditions are great, but what is Christmas really all about? Logan and I get into the weeds and discuss the true meaning of Christmas.
How Far? How far will a person travel for love? What is a person willing to do for love? These types of questions are asked and displayed in movies, songs, and TV programs. I could spend 90,000 words tracing themes of love in songs, movies, books, etc. And frankly, humanity is obsessed with understanding and obtaining love.
I mean, we have an entire day – Valentine’s Day – built around the idea of love. I think humanity has continuously pursued love, even with the proliferation of information in our internet age. Everyone is looking around for love and to be loved, but people often look in the wrong places.
One of my concerns with Christians when discussing love is that culture has polluted the mind. Culture has created radical and unrealistic expectations of love. The culture has inoculated the Christian mind to define love as something it is not. There needs to be a course correction in the church, when it comes to understanding love, and Advent seems like a good time to provide a biblical perspective.
Don’t Reduce Love The profundity of love has been reduced in multiple ways. I love my dog, Winston. He’s been a faithful dog, and when I am traveling, he becomes the man of the house, trolling and protecting the property like a good guard dog. When he dies, I’ll cry like a baby. I love my wife. My love for her is unlike anything I have experienced with any other person. My love for her is different than my love for my dog. These examples of love are familiar and perhaps healthy. But there are examples of love that are degrading and quite the opposite of the covenantal love we read in the Bible.
A ten-minute stroll through a social media feed or going up and down the television dial shows us that love has been sexualized. I am not talking about the intimacy between a husband and wife. I am talking about the soft-core porn that attempts to invade every home through technology. Here is the bottom line. Humanity has taken something good and ruined it through sinful and selfish desires.
So what is the way back to understanding and embracing love the way God designed it? And what does love have to do with the incarnation of Jesus Christ? Let me take you back to a time that was not time – before the creation of the world.
Love and Creation I think it’s fair to say the love offered by the culture is wildly confusing, and a definition of love changes with the wind. But what if we could know a love that is consistent, true, and pure? I think Holy Scripture provides a way for us to think about love that edifies and endures.
Before the Creation of the World The profundity of love is found with Godhead before the creation of the universe. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have loved each other with perfect purity and goodness. 1 John 4:7-8 tells us about the connection between love and God. We read,
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
– 1 John 4:7–8
If you have never memorized a passage in the Bible, begin with God is love. David Jakeman hits the proverbial nail on the head. He says,
John is not identifying a quality which God possesses; he is making a statement about the essence of God’s being. It is not simply that God loves, but that he is love. We are helped to understand this when we remember that God is revealed in Scripture as the holy Trinity, three persons in one God. We shall never be able to comprehend the full meaning of this with our finite minds, but at least we can grasp that at the
Making Disciples I always look forward to engaging guests at Redemption Hill. Recently, I connected with a husband and a wife after church. I noticed they were engaged while I was preaching. Their Bibles were in their laps, and they were tracking what I was preaching. So after the morning service, I made a point to connect with them. First, I thanked them for coming. And then I asked what they thought of our church. They shared charitable comments. And then I said, “We are a church that will always choose substance over style.” The moment I said those words, their faces lit up as if I had given my wife’s homemade apple pie for the first time. They were delighted and intrigued.
I did not press on their church background, but common sense and a general understanding of Christian culture helped deduce a common trend. Within Christan churches, pragmatism is the preference over principle. You will hear in the sermon life stories, see movie clips, and the Bible is peppered in along the way. Feelings matter more than God’s truth. The smoke machine during worship is substituted for quality theology in the songs. How about this statement to make a point. COVID-19 is not a pandemic compared to the water-down theology in many local churches. God is being replaced to promote the self, causing people to spiritually die left and right because style is placed over substance. Within protestant circles, local churches are off mission. Here is a good reminder of why the local church exists. Our Lord said in Matthew 28,
All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
– Matthew 28:18–20
Ok. The church exists to make disciples. Got it. But Jesus did not stop at what the church is supposed to do. He told us what to do. When a person becomes a disciple of Jesus Christ, the church responds in two ways. First, the church is to baptize. Second, the church is to teach. In particular, elders teach (1 Timothy 3 and Titus 1). And Jesus is specific about what is taught to disciples of Jesus Christ. What Jesus commanded his disciples, those disciples are to teach others.
Now let me ask a question. Are the majority of churches teaching what Jesus taught? Or is a two-minute clip from the Toy Story being used to communicate a nice moral, and then a passage of the Bible is used to supplement the moral?
Posters in the Cafeteria Allow me to elaborate on my point. One of the disadvantages of being a mobile church is that we are at the landlord’s mercy. In our case, it is a school district. Are there times when items are hung up in the halls, which I do not prefer? Absolutely. We are trying to facilitate church, not a 5th grade English class. But am I less concerned about the barely legible posters from a 2nd grader or the content of the songs and the sermon? I hope you get the point. Yes, every Sunday, the goal is to make the space look like a church then a school. But hearing the gospel of Jesus Christ is immensely more important than the orange poster hanging on the wall in the cafeteria. Don’t get me wrong. We want to continue to work toward creating a distraction-free environment. But the substance of what is taught will never be traded for style.
Christmas Lights at Church Here is an example of style over substance. What drives me bonkers is how gaudy some churches have become. Last week I drove by a large church in the Des Moine
Is it ok for a local church to be non-denominational or inter-denominational? Or, are there benefits for joining a denomination? In this podcast, we make a case for a local church to be a part of a larger denomination.
The Meaning of Advent The term advent is unfamiliar to many Protestants, especially if they are baptist or “non-denominational.” However, the term advent is used in churches that value a connection with history, in particular the Christian calendar. For some Protestants, a “Christian calendar” seems Catholic. Yes, the Catholic Church uses a liturgical calendar. Still, after the Reformation, Protestant Churches maintained a connection with a Christian calendar to help highlight important events in biblical and church history. Advent, which leads up to Christmas day, is one aspect of the Christian or liturgical calendar. The other familiar aspect of the Christian calendar is Lent, which leads up to Easter.
Why Observe Advent Advent means the arrival of a noble person. Other than my parents, no one was talking about the advent of Shawn Powers. So, when I arrived in the world, my mom was just grateful to survive the arrival of another set of sons. (Yes, there are two sets of twins in my family.) But the birth of Christ is different. We observe advent because the arrival of Jesus changed the world. The 1st advent of Jesus changed the world because Jesus is the only hope for the world.
Old Testament Premonitions, Prophesies, or Promises? How is Jesus the only hope for the world? There are several answers to the question but let’s look at the Old Testament to tease out an answer.
The Old Testament is full of promises. These promises are more than premonitions but prophetic words speaking about what is to come. It is full of promises made by God to His people. Some of God’s promises are conditional, and some are unconditional. Here are two conditional promises in the Old Testament.
And God said to him, “Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life or riches or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you a wise and discerning mind, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you. I give you also what you have not asked, both riches and honor, so that no other king shall compare with you, all your days. And if you will walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.”
– 1 Kings 3:11–14
And here is one more example.
13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
– 2 Chronicles 7:13–14
The word if is key. If my kids clean their room, then they can go outside and play. Their right to go outside and play is contingent upon their ability to clean their room. No clean room, no play. A similar dynamic is going on with God’s conditional promises in the Old Testament.
But the Old Testament is full of unconditional promises, and it’s the unconditional promises where we see the reason to have hope in the birth of Christ. So let’s begin with Abraham. Beginning in Genesis 12:1-3 we read that God promises to make a great nation from the offspring of Abraham. And then in Genesis 17 we read,&nb
I’ve been posting on why Redemption Hill Church is confessional. The term confessional has lost its luster over the last 100 years, but prior, most churches held to a Confession of Faith. In this series of blog posts, I want to show the value of confessions and why a local church should be confessional. The series on confessionalism is about 1) The Nature of Confessionalism, 2) The Parameters of Confessionalism, 3) A Vision of Confessionalism 4) the Subscription to a Confession. If you are new to confessionalism, or the term is foreign, that’s ok. The purpose of cornfieldtheology.com is to introduce people to new concepts, terms, and theological ideas.
These four blog posts on confessionalism have been adapted from a paper I submitted to the elders of Trinity Fellowship Churches in preparation for Theology Day before our General Assembly in November of 2021. In this second of four posts, I discuss the parameters of a Confession of Faith. I’ll state the purpose of this post with a question: how much theology should, or should not be, in a Confession of Faith?
Somewhere In The Middle A Confession of Faith is not a systematic theology book. A systematic theology book has its place, but it is not a functional expression of faith for a local church. In 2020 I took several members of the church through a systematic theology book. The class enriched the students. It provoked good questions. But there was a sense that the breadth of a systematic theology book can be overwhelming. A person could study systematic theology for a lifetime and die realizing they have only scratched the surface. And there is the other end of the spectrum. A Confession of Faith cannot be summed up in a few statements on a church website. Try this for an exercise. Contact your local pastor and ask how he decided what ten theological points to put on the website? Did he copy and paste from another website? Is the statement of faith so vague that a Catholic, Presbyterian, Baptist, and Methodist all agree? Far too many local churches, networks, and denominations refuse to be held accountable with “all that theology.” To take the words of Alexander Hamilton out of context, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” So, if a Confession of Faith is not taking a seminary class on systematic theology, and it’s not your garden variety 10 points found at a local church website, then what is the right balance for a Confession of Faith?
A Confession of Faith aims for the middle. It is deep in its theology and wide in the various doctrines. A Confession of Faith cannot address everything, but it addresses much. A confession must have primary doctrine and secondary doctrines. Tertiary doctrines should be held with an open hand and often not included in a Confession of Faith. Primary doctrines include doctrines central to the gospel of Jesus Christ. For example, the incarnation, atonement, and justification must be affirmed, taught, and defended at all costs. Secondary doctrines are also essential and help to distinguish a church or denomination from other churches and denominations. Secondary doctrines might include baptism, the Lord’s Table, and the revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit. Tertiary doctrines are not a point of division and distinction but are no less worthy of time, study, reflection, and conviction. A tertiary doctrine might include the specifics of eschatology. There is no need to break fellowship with a brother or sister in Christ who holds to historic premillennialism when I hold to reformed amillennialism. The challenge lies in determining what is primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary doctrines are more obvious, but secondary and tertiary doctrines might be malleable d
Is it ok to go to church online? What about physically gathering with others and watching someone preach on a screen? We take up these questions on the latest edition of Cornfield Theology.
It’s been a while since I have posted on the blog or dropped a podcast. Throughout October and early November, I took a step back to focus on denominational responsibilities and lead Redemption Hill Church into a new Sunday morning location. By God’s grace, both responsibilities went well, but now I am back in the saddle!
Over the next several weeks, I’ll be posting on why Redemption Hill Church is confessional. The term confessional has lost its luster over the last 100 years, but prior, most churches held to a confession of faith. I want to show in these blog posts the value of confessions and why a local church should be confessional. The next four blogs on confessionalism will be about 1) The Nature of Confessionalism, 2) The Parameters of Confessionalism, 3) A Vision of Confessionalism 4) the Subscription to a Confession. If you are new to confessionalism, or the term is foreign, that’s ok. The purpose of cornfieldtheology.com is to introduce people to new concepts, terms, and theological ideas.
These four blogs on confessionalism have been adapted from a paper I submitted to the elders of Trinity Fellowship Churches in preparation for Theology Day before our General Assembly. In this first blog post on the nature of confessionalism, I focus on why confessions are written down, the historical aspect of confessions, and the uniting effect of confessions.
Confessions are Written Down It has become fashionable for many non-mainline Protestant churches to be vague about theology and doctrine. And the traditional mainline protestant churches have jettisoned their historic creeds and confessions. If not on paper, then with function. The reasons for the ambiguity are numerous. However, what is trendy is not historical. For most of church history, denominations and churches had robust creeds and confessions. These creeds and confessions provided clarity, which helped guard against heresy and doctrinal confusion. Throughout history, creeds and confessions were polemical and divided denominations from each other, but they also united local churches to one another. Creeds and confessions could guard against heresy and join like-minded churches because creeds and confessions are written down. It is popular to hear a local pastor or church member say they do not need a confession or creed because they have the Bible. “No creed but the Bible!” is declared. However, the declaration falls on deft ears. Carl Trueman affirms,
I do want to make the point here that Christians are not divided between those who have creeds and confessions and those who do not; rather, they are divided between those who have public creeds and confessions that are written down and exist as public documents, subject to public scrutiny, evaluation, and critique, and those who have private creeds and confessions that are often improvised, unwritten, and thus not open to public scrutiny, not susceptible to evaluation and, crucially and ironically, not, therefore, subject to testing by Scripture to see whether they are true.
– Carl Trueman
All Christians live by a Creed. The fundamental difference between confessional and non-confessional churches and Christians can be summed up in one question: How can you know what a pastor and church believe? Answer. Doctrine is written down. The benefits of holding to a Confession of Faith that is written down are outlined in these blog posts. Nevertheless, suffice it to say, part of the nature of being confessional is that a document explicitly states doctrine.
Confessions are Rooted in Tradition The second aspect of confessions is their rootedness in tradition. As J.V. Fesko points out, the wor
Everyone has a line that can’t be crossed, and what happens if the government asks you to cross a line that is counter to your faith and God-given conscience? In this episode, we take up the contemporary debates and attempt to provide biblical clarity.
It’s easy to get caught up with what is right in front of you. Leading a church is no exception. The list of to-dos is endless. A sermon needs to be prepared and preached. There is always another meeting. All of this is good, and it’s a part of a call to ministry. I love it. But far too often, a focus on the here and now is at the expense of a greater mission taking place. God is at work in other churches as well. God, the Holy Spirit, is meeting the needs of a church down the street and across town. And it takes looking up and past the present circumstances to see the greater gospel mission.
One Message with One Mission Of course, there is a litany of churches in America, and some of them need to be closed down. There are churches where the gospel message is not being preached, and the Bible is collecting dust. I am referring to the churches that have made a bee-line to liberation theology or theological liberalism. Those churches are writing their own story, and the story includes a slow death. And the data backs it up. I’ll grant that church attendance is down across the board in America, but mainline (liberal) protestant churches are leading the way.
When I think about the advancement of the gospel, I have in mind churches where the pastor preaches from the Bible. The good news of Jesus Christ is evident in word and deed. I am talking about churches consumed with being transformed into the image of Christ instead of being transformed into the image of culture. It’s with these churches where I want to lock arms with one message on one mission. I want to look past the tree to see the forest. While these churches might be few in number, it’s these churches where I am willing to find ways to partner. It’s these churches that must band together for the advancement of the gospel.
COVID Consternation I was reminded of the value of gospel partnership during 2020 and into 2021. The church where I am a pastor, Redemption Hill Church, had to navigate remaining united and meet every Sunday, without a church building. The plans we made before the pandemic were squashed, and suddenly we needed to figure out where to gather for worship. So during 2020 and into 2021, we gathered at ten different locations. From parks to drive-in church on my front lawn, the church flexed and gathered.
Now, I have to admit it was challenging to pivot week in and week out. Nonetheless, by the grace of God and the support from the saints of Redemption Hill, we still exist for the glory of God. However, we were not alone. Other churches in the area saw our unique situation and moved to help us. I want to tell you about three churches that understand the importance of the gospel and the local church.
“A Little Help From My Friends” Frontier Church Before COVID and before the Powers family relocated to the Des Moines metro, several families from the Twin Cities arrived. They were a people without a church home. Even after the Powers set down roots in Des Moines, it would be several months before our official first church service. So I decided to connect with the lead pastor Cole Deike. I wanted him to know that there would be a small influx of visitors for a season. He received our team with joy. Frontier faithfully preaches from God’s Word, and they are on a mission to love the Des Moines
God is sovereign over the government, but how should the church engage government? In this episode, I was greatly helped by Greg and Léo from The Family Leader. Their thoughts have helped me, and I think they will help you. Take a listen and enjoy.
After I wrote this blog, and before it was posted, President Joe Biden set forth several mandates regarding vaccines. Without a doubt, the content of this blog is relevant for helping Christians think well about vaccines and masks.
There Is Nothing New Under The Sun Throughout history, humanity has known how to divide itself. Classes are created to segregate one group of people from another. We have caste systems that have existed since the 1500s. I am old enough to remember the Rwandan genocide. In 1994 and over 100 days, about 800,000 people were slaughtered in Rwanda by ethnic Hutu extremists. The Hutu’s were mainly targeting members of the minority Tutsi community. The class system in Rwanda was tribal.
India is well known for its caste system. From top to bottom, the priests are on top (Bhramin), followed by the warriors (Kashatryia), then the merchants and landlords (Vaisya), and last are the commoners and peasants (Sudra). You are born into a caste, and you cannot leave the caste.
People are divided into classes by economics, race, ethnic background, country, and religion. At present, in America, a new class is emerging. A new division is being created. The division is between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the division was between the masked and the unmasked. However, masks have now become a sideshow to vaccines. There is a large contingent of pro-vaxers who are passionate about every single person receiving a vaccine. They believe the vaccine saves lives, and I am inclined to believe that they are saving lives, especially for the elderly and people with pre-existing health issues. The anti-vax folks want to be left alone and might have questions about the efficacy and safety of the COVID vaccines. Each side has its reasons, and each side is now digging the trench for a long battle.
Dare To Be Different My aim isn’t to stir the pot. Oh, I have opinions on masks and vaccines. I have strong opinions. My close friends and family are not naive to my position. But my main concern is that the cultural conversation lacks civility and charity. Further, I am concerned that the lack of civility and charity has made its way into the church. My hope is that the church would rise above the emerging class system and remain united even amid varying opinions. The following are several thoughts about staying united while disagreeing with brothers and sisters in Christ.
United By Christ Christians need to remember we are united to each other because we are united in Christ. Do yourself a favor and read all of Ephesians chapter one. The theological reality of our unity is far superior to an opinion on masks and vaccines. Perhaps it’s time for the church to memorize all of Psalm 133.
1 Behold, how good and pleasant it is
when brothers dwell in unity!
2 It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down on the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down on the collar of his robes!
3 It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion!
For there the Lord has commanded the blessing,
life forevermore.
– Psalm 133:1–3
God delights to see his church – the bride of Christ – united. You would be naive to think Israel didn’t witness cultural conversations attempting to divide God’s people during the reign of King David. The same for the apostle Paul in the 1st century. Perhaps the outstanding number of passages on unity in the Bible exists because the devil would love nothing more than to see disunity in the church.
I am not suggesting you kee
One of the first verses of the Bible my oldest daughter memorized when she was young was Philippians 2:3. We read in Holy Scripture,
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3
Philippians 2:3 is a verse that challenges the inclinations of every individual. A person’s tendency is not to be concerned about God and others but with the self. Yet, we admire an athlete or movie character who demonstrates a remarkable level of self-sacrifice. Likewise, our military is honored for its self-sacrifice. Thus, we see glimpses of self-sacrifice, but it isn’t easy when we are personally faced with an opportunity to place others before ourselves. So why does the tension exist? And how does a person lay down self-interest for the sake of others, and more importantly, for God?
The Nature of Man: Sin
Every person born into this world has a sinful nature (Genesis 3). Because of sin, every person has an insatiable desire to put their needs and wants before others and God. For example, marriages that break down can often be attributed to a selfish desire. Siblings might fight over a toy, not because the toy is interesting, but because the other person has the toy. Sin corrupts the heart and can make a person hyper-focused on the self. If all this is true, how can someone begin to live out Philippians 2:3? How does a person put the needs of others before the self?
The Path Toward Self-Sacrifice
After you read Philippians 2:3, we are told to take on the mind of Christ (v. 5). Taking on the mind of Christ means following the self-sacrificial humility of Christ. Consider for a moment how Jesus modeled self-sacrifice through humility. Jesus knows about your sin, and he took the hard path to the cross to forgive your sin and set you free from the power of sin. If you are a Christian, Jesus died on the cross in your place. If you keep reading Philippians 2, you will read this glorious verse about Jesus.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
– Philippians 2:8
Philippians 2:8 is the good news. If you are a Christian, you are called, every single day, to lay down your desires, wants, and needs for the sake of others and the glory of God. Christians are called to emulate Christ.
These characteristics seem like sensible advice:
- Taking on the mind of Christ.
- Living humbly before God and each other.
- Looking out for the interests of others before your own.
But when you consider that Christ humbled himself by dying on a cross and Christ put our lives before his own, and this is what you are to model, the task seems insurmountable. And apart from God, it is. But with God, you can live out these life-giving words. With the Holy Spirit working in your life, humbly putting the needs of others before yourself is a joy.
As you ponder the joy of self-sacrifice, think of one person you can serve. What are the needs of that person? How do you demonstrate Christ to that person by humbly laying down your needs for the other? When a person has come to your mind, along with the need, take time to act. Be like Christ.
Scripture Reading:
Matthew 16:24-26
Philippians 2:1-11
John 15:13
Worship Song:
Yet Not I But Christ Through Me
City Alight
This devotional was written for Agape Pregnancy Resource Center in Des
What does it look like to pursue biblical justice? Is there a difference between social justice and biblical justice? In this episode of Cornfield Theology, I discuss these questions with Erik McEntyre.
It’s no secret that men dominate the stories we read in Holy Scripture. There is no need to sugarcoat the truth. But the dominance of men in the Bible does not negate the profound impact made by women. For example, Deborah was a woman and a prophet who judged righteously (Judges 4-5). She was more of a military leader than a judge, but she was invested with leadership that held the lives of others in her hands. Another notable woman is Ruth. The story of Ruth is a story about loyalty and redemption. It’s a beautiful story that I have often read to my daughters.
Women also show up in New Testament genealogies. Ruth makes a reappearance (Matthew 1:5) along with Tamar (v. 3; cf. Gen 38), Rahab (v. 5; cf. Josh 2), Bathsheba (v. 6; cf. 2 Sam 11), and Mary (v. 16). The reason for including Mary is apparent, and even Ruth makes sense. But what about the other three women? Tamar tricked her father-in-law, Judah, into sleeping with him (Gen 38:14-15). Judah was no saint, but the point remains. Rahab was a prostitute. And technically speaking, Bathsheba’s name is not mentioned in Matthew’s genealogy. Instead, she is referred to as “Uriah’s wife.”
Any inclusion of a woman into a Jewish genealogy is unusual, but Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba deserve some explanation.
Genealogies Matter Genealogies mattered to Jewish life and culture. I don’t know my great-grandpa’s name on either side of the family, but young Eli living in the 1st century Israel has his entire family line mapped out going back centuries. There was a sense of pride to know where a young Jew came from. To be a part of a family tree meant a sense of belonging, and it also conveyed history.
So what is the point of inserting Tamar, Rahab, and “Uriah’s wife” into the genealogy of Matthew 1? Is the gospel writer, Matthew, attempting to show family pride, a sense of belonging, and history? Yes and no. I think there is more going on than initially meets the eye. And let’s be honest, not much meets the eye when reading a genealogy. They are passed over more than my kids pass over a kale salad at the dinner table.
History of Redemption Matthew 1 connects the past with the present and the future. Thus, the genealogy in Matthew (and Luke) is not only about looking backward, but it’s about how God’s plan of redemption is coming to fruition. In particular, Matthew sets forth the genealogical roadmap of how Jesus Christ is the seed of Abraham (Galatians 3:16). Unlike Luke, Matthew extends back to Abraham and not Adam. Tracing the line of redemption is the primary goal of Matthew. The promise of a future redemption is made clear later in Matthew 1. We read in verse 21,
She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
– Matthew 1:21
The Greek verb for will bear (τέξεται) is in the future, middle, and indicative, while the Greek verb for will save (σώσει) is in the future, active and indicative forms, connecting the past with the present and future. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is the apex of God’s plan of redemption. Salvation is what Tamar, Rahab, and Bathsheba needed, along with every person on the list.
Parenthetical Comments on David and Bathsheba There is some debate between biblical scholars on the sexual intent of King David and Bathsheba. Was Bathsheba raped, or was she complicit in adultery? I will not answer the question here but make an observation about the exclusion of Bathsheba’s name in Matthew&#
What is Grace? The word grace is commonly used by Christians and in the church. Many church names include the word grace. My youngest daughter’s middle name is Grace. In the New Testament, the favorite salutation of the apostle Paul is grace and peace. One of the most memorized passages in the Bible is about grace (Ephesians 2:8). The term grace is a big deal. It’s a theological term that has massive practical implications. In this blog post, I want to define grace as used in Holy Scripture, and then I want to show how the grace of God impacts a person’s everyday life. The word grace is more than a Christian buzzword, but it impacts everyday life.
It’s All Greek to Me The Greek word for grace is χάρις. It has the sense of favor or someone freely giving a gift to another person. You cannot merit grace, but it’s a one-way transaction. χάρις can also be translated to demonstrate a person’s thankfulness. In particular, χάρις is used to express a person’s thankfulness to God. Romans 7:25 captures the essence well. We read,
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!
– Romans 7:25
When χάρις is reflecting a person’s gratitude thanks is an appropriate translation. However, when χάρις is used with God as the source, grace is often the better translation. There are two senses of grace when it’s used in conjunction with God. First, God extends common grace to all people. Second, God offers saving grace to some people.
Common Grace Here is a helpful definition of common grace.
Common grace is God’s general favor by which he restrains sin and its consequences, maintains human life and culture, and bestows a variety of gifts and blessings to all people indiscriminately.
– Gayle Doornbos, “The Spirit and Common Grace.”
Matthew 5:45 captures God’s indiscriminatecommon grace well.
For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
– Matthew 5:45
It does not matter if a person is a Christian, atheist, or agnostic. God’s common grace (whether a person realizes it or not) is for all to enjoy. The Christian and nonChristian farmers equally benefit from the rain.
Saving Grace Grace is also used in a more narrow sense, and it’s this sense that receives more attention in the pages of the New Testament. God extends saving grace to some people.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
– Ephesians 2:8–9
In so many ways, the grace of God to save and sustain sinners is what makes Christianity not only distinct, but I think, altogether appealing. There is no concept of grace in other religious traditions, at least not in the way grace is defined in the Bible. When God freely extends saving grace to a person, complete transformation takes place. The change begins in the heart, and then a person’s actions follow the heart. The first few lines of the iconic song Amazing Grace describe the change due to salvific grace.
In recent years Redemption Hill Church has moved from a statement of faith to a confession of faith. And you would be forgiven if you ask, what’s a confession of faith? And how is it any different than a statement of faith? It seems few Christians, especially within evangelicalism, are familiar with historic creeds and confessions. As J.V. Fesko points out in his book The Need for Creeds Today, there are several reasons for “deconfessionalism.” Go check out his book to learn more. What I want to touch on is the value of holding to a confession of faith and the utility of a confession of faith.
Value First, a confession of faith tends to be more robust than a run-of-the-mill statement of faith. Meaning, if you read the Heidelberg Catechism or the Westminster Confession of Faith, you will be struck by its length and depth. But when you pull up the statement of faith from “Good Vibes Church” two miles down the road, you’ll read they believe in the Bible and Jesus. Not wrong, but it doesn’t say much. I have come to appreciate our confession of faith because the church knows what I believe as a pastor and preacher.
Second, the church can hold the pastor accountable with a confession of faith. I believe it is good for the church to listen well to the sermon and test what is said against Scripture and a confession of faith. I will not get away with preaching how each person born into the world totally depraved, and then the following Sunday say that everyone born into the world is essentially good. Ultimately, the church is protected from a pastor going theologically rouge when there is a confession of faith.
Third, a confession of faith is meant to be a document that lasts for centuries. The Westminster Confession of Faith has been around since 1646. The Heidelberg Catechism was codified in 1563. The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith goes back to 1689. When you read these confessions of faith, you see the ancient creeds pop from the paper—creeds such as the Nicene Creed of AD 325 (and updated in AD 381 in Constantinople). And we can’t forget the Chalcedonian Creed (AD 451) and the Athanasian Creed (although there are questions about authorship and dating of the Athanasian Creed). So not only is a confession of faith meant to stand the test of time but it is connected to historic orthodoxy. The Confession of Faith at Redemption Hill Church, which is a part of Trinity Fellowship Churches, modernized, edited, and added to The Second London Baptist Confession of Faith for our purposes. Our confession of faith is also connected to historic orthodoxy.
Utility What is the point of a church committing to a confession of faith if she does not use it? In other words, one of the reasons a church commits to a confession of faith is its utility – its usefulness. Here are several brief thoughts about how a local church can use a confession of faith to build up the body of Christ for the glory of God.
Catechesis A Confession of Faith of faith is a fantastic tool to educate the church. For example, in 2020, I taught a class to the church using a systematic theology book. The course went fine. The systematic theology book was a good tool. However, and in the future, I’ll use our confession of faith to teach theology to the church.
A Confession of Faith is a tool to catechize children. An excellent way to instruct children is to create questions from the content of the
Recently, I began to incorporate our church’s Confession of Faith in my morning devotions. I’ve been slowly reading each chapter and section and then reading the supporting scriptures. It’s been wonderful to drink in the deep and profound truths of our Confession of Faith. If you are interested, here is a link to our Confession of Faith.
1.10 The last sentence of chapter 1 caused me to pause and ponder the authority and sufficiency of Scripture. Matthew Barrett states that biblical authority is:
The doctrine of the authority and inerrancy of Scripture is that, as a corollary of the inspiration of Scripture, the God-breathed Scriptures are wholly true in all things that they assert in the original autographs and therefore function with the authority of God’s own words.
– Matthew Barrett
He also tells us what it means for Scripture to be sufficient:
Scripture is sufficient in that it is the only inspired, inerrant, and therefore final authority for Christians for faith and godliness, with all other authorities being subservient to Scripture.
– Matthew Barrett
I think Barrett’s definitions would be upheld by most Christians who have a high view of Scripture. Moreover, his definitions are consistent with Redemption Hill’s confession of faith. So here is the troubling trend I see with Christians who have a high view of Scripture. A Christian’s faith is often not at rest when Scripture is clear.
Here is the last paragraph of chapter 1 of our confession of faith. Please take note of the last sentence which is what I want to tease out.
The final judge for the examination and judgment of all religious controversies, decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits can be no other than Holy Scripture delivered by the Spirit. Our faith must rest when Scripture speaks.
Confession of Faith 1.10
I don’t know if you have noticed, but Scripture speaks a lot. It is true, Scripture does not address everything, but it tells us everything we need to know about God, sin, and how a person who is a sinner can be reconciled to the holy and just God. In addition, Scripture speaks about the creation of the universe and the second advent of Jesus Christ. Between Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21, Scripture speaks about the principles of godly living, leading to human flourishing. It also speaks about the evils in the world due to sin and rebellion. Scripture speaks on a lot of topics.
Restless So how come Christians are restless even though Scripture speaks clearly on many relevant issues? For example, take the creation of the world. It’s clear God created the world (Genesis 1-2), yet, when you read a biology book and are taught there was a primordial soup or random spark in which everything evolved, God creating ex nihilo gets thrown out the window. Here is another relevant example of the tension between a cultural standard and a standard spoken clearly in the Bible. Scripture is clear about sexuality. God created a man and woman, and a sexual relationship is affirmed in the context of marriage. But what do we see in our culture? Sex between a man and a woman in the context of marriage is viewed as prudish, and everythin
In this podcast, Shawn sits down with David Bush founder and president of Fit For The King. They discuss the ministry and the vision of Fit For the King. Being Fit For The King means being physically available to love God completely, let Him love others through you, and accomplish all He desires with you for His glory. If you have a growing desire to pursue greater health the right way, I think you’ll enjoy this podcast.
I recently asked a few friends if there is a blog topic I should take on. My friend, Brooks Szewczyk, recommended I write about the responsibilities of an elder. You should note a distinction I will be making in this blog. I aim to explain the responsibilities of an elder and not the qualifications. There is overlap between the two categories, but my focus has to do with function. As an elder of a local church, the subject is not only relevant to my life, but it’s a topic I take seriously. So here we go. Here are a few thoughts on the responsibilities of being an elder along with a few defining thoughts.
What is an Elder? Before delving into the responsibilities of an elder, it’s essential to step back and define the role of an elder. First, the word is used to describe an older person. So, for example, my biological father is my elder. Historically, an elder is a person who is suppose to contain wisdom from life experiences. If you are new to parenting, you can seek out someone who has gone through the gauntlet of raising kids. You seek out your elders.
Similarly, an elder in a local church is supposed to have wisdom. This is why the apostle Paul tells his disciple Timothy the following:
He [An elder] must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil.
– 1 Timothy 3:6
Scripture does not provide an age, and we do not know how far from conversion a man needs to be before becoming an elder. But a man must have the maturity to fight pride and the devil. So Christian maturity develops over time. You cannot microwave Christian maturity nor the wisdom that comes from growing in the faith. The other angle to approach 1 Timothy 3:6 is that a man must have been tested. It’s through the testing of faith in which maturity and wisdom grow. Instead of trials and suffering being an obstacle, they are actually opportunities.
Pastor/Elder I have a couple more thoughts on biblical eldership before laying out the responsibilities. Scripture is decisive that elders are men. Back to 1 Timothy 3.
The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer must be above reproach, the husband of one wife…
– 1 Timothy 3:1–2
And then we read in Titus 1,
…if anyone is above reproach, the husband of one wife…
– Titus 1:6
In these passages, the qualification that an elder is the husband of one wife is accompanied by multiple qualifications. Only hermeneutical gymnastics can change the meaning of these passages.
I also want to point out that elder and pastor are used synonymously in the New Testament. In Titus, Paul uses the word πρεσβύτερος (elder, older man). In 1 Timothy 3, Paul uses the Greek word ἐπισκοπή, which means overseer, or one who is watching over. In both passages, the qualifications of an elder/pastor are being laid out. The connections are made more explicit in 1 Peter 5 and Acts 20. Here is what Peter says about elders.
So I exhort the elders (πρεσβύτερος) among you, as a fellow elder (πρεσβύτερος) and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed: 2 shepherd (ποιμαίνω) the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight (ἐπισκοπή)…
–
What does it look like to share the gospel in a nonChristian culture? What are the barriers to sharing the gospel? In this episode of Cornfield Theology Rob Chisholm joins me to diagnose the topic and the questions. Rob is a pastor at Grace City Church of the Northeast in Philidelphia, PA. Listen or watch and learn from Rob’s wisdom and experience.
Chaos or Order? What is your life like when it’s chaotic? How does it make you feel? There have been times in my life when chaos causes me to say, “I am just trying to keep my head above water.” In those moments when you are trying to keep your head above water, the stress level can rise. In short, a chaotic life can equal a stressful life. A short season of chaos is sustainable, but a prolonged season of chaos can have long-term effects that is debilitating.
The opposite of chaos is order. I am not talking about a drill sergeant ensuring military order. I am not talking about a person who has a spotless house, and everything is in order. These are aspects of order, but order in your life is more. A person with a tidy home can still have a stress level higher than a hoarder. No, there is another kind of order that lowers the stress level and provides peace.
You might be surprised to learn that the God of the Bible is orderly. God has ordered creation, the home, the church, and to a certain degree, church gatherings. When a person accepts and embraces God’s order, there is flourishing. Conversely, when God’s order is disregarded, chaos ensues. The stress level rises, and human flourishing recedes. Let’s take a look at each of these areas and see how God has created order.
Creation The first words of the Bible describe God putting his creation into order.
1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
– Genesis 1:1-5
God did not create from pre-existing chaos, but God created ex nihilo. Like an artist with a canvas and paint, the moment the brush hit the canvas, order was being established. One day after the next, God was a work. The Creator of the universe was intentional and systematic. There is nothing chaotic about how God ordered his creation.
The Home God also ordained order in the home. Due to the anti-patriarchy movement in America, it is not popular to talk about order in the home. However, if you are a Christian, and the Bible is your sacred text, God speaks abundantly about the home. Again, God’s design for order is to allow for human flourishing. Here is Ephesians 5:23.
For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior.
– Ephesians 5:23
And what gives Paul the temerity to say a husband is the head of his wife? For the answer, we need to head back to the Delorean because we need to go back to Genesis. In Genesis 1:26-27, God says men and women are made in his image. When you turn the page to Genesis 2, we read about the details of how God created his image-bears.
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”…So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and while he slept took one of his ribs and closed up its place with flesh. 22 And the rib that the Lord God had taken from the man he m
Should the babies be baptized or does a person need to wait until adulthood? We discuss the various views on baptism and attempt to provide a persuasive argument for confessional baptism.
Dumbing Down Forgiveness As a father of children, I find myself running interference from time to time. When one child takes advantage of the other, I have to set this situation straight. Who did what? And why? Siblings know how to press the buttons of the other. At times, a situation requires forgiveness because of sin. After attempting to shepherd my kids’ hearts, one may need to seek forgiveness of the other, and inevitably, I hear, “I am sorry ____.” I am sorry has become the new “please forgive me.” And it’s not just the kids. Christian adults adopt the “I am sorry” phraseology.
The question I have is this: what are we losing by not using the word forgiveness? Is “I am sorry” sufficient to express the pardoning of one person’s sin against another? Or are we dumbing down forgiveness?
The Culture and Forgiveness The word forgiveness is mostly absent from American culture. Even if you substitute the word forgiveness with another word, the meaning of forgiveness is foreign. Forgiveness is a formal release from an obligation or debt, especially understood as a debt of sin. In other words, when a person extends forgiveness to another person, the offending party is released from the sin debt. The sin is no longer held against the person. I do not think “I am sorry” captures the gravity of forgiveness.
Another word that captures the meaning of forgiveness is absolution. When a person is absolved, the guilt of sin is released from the offending part along with the punishment. Indeed, a person can be forgiven and still suffer the consequences of sin, but absolution is essential, especially when we consider what the Bible says about forgiveness.
But wait, there is more. The culture has not only jettisoned the meaning of forgiveness, but it’s now against forgiveness.
Anti-Forgiveness I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the anti-forgiveness movement in America. Oh, you haven’t heard of the anti-forgiveness moment? But wait, I think you have heard of this movement. It exists under the guise of cancel culture.
Cancel culture has become a buzz phrase, but it’s disgusting, and it’s anti-Christian. Cancel culture is the opposite of biblical forgiveness. Instead of pursuing reconciliation, a person is canceled because of a past mistake or sin. Why is this happening? The answer is simple. If you do not fall in line with woke ideology, you are fair-game to be canceled.
The anti-forgiveness moment isn’t concerned with the exchange of ideas or pursuing a path forward through compromise. Instead, the anti-forgiveness moment will mine Twitter accounts to find one unsavory Tweet from high school so that a person will be shut down. A person can be fired for holding a reasonable position because it’s not in agreement with woke ideology. Actors and actresses are fired because they are unwilling to capitulate.
If you disagree with the prevailing woke ideology, there is no penance you can make. There is not even an “I am sorry.” And there is no forgiveness. And here is the reality. Because all people have sinned (Romans 3:23), everyone will eventually be canceled. Just wait. You’ll see.
The Christian Response Christianity offers a better way forward. The American culture would do well to readopt the principle of forgiveness. Instead of canceling people who disagree, we can pursue unity through forgiveness. If there have been wrongs or sins, there can be gracious confrontations. Jesus had something to say about the importance of forgiveness. We
Is it ok for a pastor to plagiarize a sermon? At present, there is a lot of chatter on the topic. Some are trying to justify plagiarism, and it’s maddening. Watch or listen to this episode of Cornfield Theology to hear our thoughts on the topic.
Monday Morning Musings is a hodgepodge of contemplations as I begin a new week. Check-in on Monday morning to receive a myriad of thoughts from my vapid brain. The written and audio can be found at www.cornfieldtheology.com
Every Book and Every Word Matters When is the last time you read and studied 3 John? Not John 3 but 3 John. Several years ago, another pastor and I preached through the short books of the Bible. I was tasked with 2 and 3 John. They are the two shortest books. I recently re-preached my sermon on 3 John. I don’t re-preach sermons often unless I am a guest of another church. But due to travel leading up to the 4th of July, I made an exception. In my study of 3 John, I was reminded how every book and every word in the Bible matters. Every word and every book has something to teach. If you believe all of God’s Word is sufficient, reading Romans and 3 John is an opportunity to be instructed by God.
What’s the Point? You might be wondering, what’s your point? Good for you that God reminded you that every book of the Bible has significance. Well, when’s the last time you read through 3 John or Leviticus? Leviticus isn’t the most exciting book in the Bible. But it’s still valuable. Leviticus is still able to instruct. Leviticus helps build out the greater story arc of the Bible. Here is a verse from Leviticus that has had staying power.
You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against the sons of your own people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord.
– Leviticus 19:18
I understand that the Law in Leviticus isn’t the most exciting read, but it’s still a part of the Bible. God spoke, and He continues to speak through the Book of Leviticus.
Cherry Picking Listen, I love Romans. Paul’s ability to frame a theological argument in Romans is second to none. We are currently going through the Book of Ephesians at Redemption Hill Church. Ephesians is a treasure trove of rich theology, especially chapters 1-3. But there is more to discover and learn, and Bible readers need to resist the temptation to constantly cherry-pick what they read. There is more to God’s Word than your favorite books and verses. Yes, your favorite books and verses will serve your soul, but there is more. Don’t stop after the Book of Exodus, but slug through the remainder of the Pentateuch. Don’t stop after 1 John, but turn the page to 2 John, and then the next page to 3 John. You can spend a lifetime reading the Bible, and there will always be more.
A Journey Toward Confessionalism When God poured out the Spirit on my cold dead heart in my early 20s, I immediately plugged into a church. The church affiliated with a network of other like-minded churches, but many considered it nondenominational. It was also charismatic or quasi-pentecostal. I was not discerning at the time, so I accepted the practice and theology of the church.
One day I decided to read the church’s “Statement of Faith.” It took 3 minutes to finish. It was concise, but I am sure a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness could affirm the statement. It wasn’t unorthodox, but it told me nothing about the theology of the church, along with what distinguishes this church from other churches. Instead, the focus is on values or vision. Now, I am down with values and vision, but values and vision should flow from theology. This church wanted its theology to fit its valu
In recent years a new concept has entered the church. It’s called “deconstructionism.” In this podcast, we define deconstructionism and how it’s leading people away from the church, and from the Christian faith.
Is the Son of God eternally subordinate to the Father? In this podcast, we provide an overview of the debate along with a few varying opinions.
In this episode we discuss Section 4 of our Confession of Faith, God is the creator of the world! We also talk around the edges of the more controversial points of biblical creation.
Blog Audio The Beginning of Faith When I first became a Christian there was a fire lit in my soul. On Easter morning the church that I was attending had an invitation at the end to either give yourself to Christ for the first time or to rededicate yourself to the faith. Although I thought I was in the latter group at the time, looking back I now realize that I was never a Christian before that moment. From that day onward I was determined to live a holy life and to dedicate myself to the scriptures. I decided to pursue theological education. This led me to attend Bethany Global University, then transfer to Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and move down to Iowa to help plant Redemption Hill Church in the Des Moines metro.
Learning the Grace of God The Call to Holiness Early on in my faith, I knew one thing that God has called all Christians to is to live holy lives. We are not to live like we once did, instead, we are to live to God’s standard. The apostle Peter says in his first letter,
As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.
1 Peter 1:15-16
Peter not only gives us the command to be holy, but he also gives us the reason why. Christians are to be holy because God is holy. God has saved us from our sin and his coming wrath and has now called us to be like him.
Grace in the fight for Holiness One thing I was quickly taught was the grace of God in the area of holiness. Christians though saved by grace still battle with sin. If the Christian heart is like a kingdom then Jesus Christ is the one who rules it. However, inside the kingdom, there are pockets of rebellion (sin) that Jesus is working to crush in the process of sanctification. For now, the sin is still there, but we will ultimately be made perfect.
Like many Christians, when I fail to live in holiness and I sin I can feel like I have failed God. I can feel like he is not only disappointed in my actions but hates me for them. I can feel like his grace is going to be withdrawn and I am going to be lost and forsaken. This is not only untrue but it is a common lie of the devil. It can be tempting to condemn ourselves, but Paul encourages us in his epistle to the Romans that,
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2
He also tells us that,
Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:20-21
Not only is there no condemnation for the Christian, when we sin God is pleased to give us even more in the continual forgiveness of our sins. These truths should lift the great burden of perfectionism from the Christian heart. Though we may still sin in our fight for holiness God still loves his people. He still forgives them. He never forsakes the Christian.
Keep on Sinning? Tempted to Abuse Grace If the devil fails to tempt the Chris
It might surprise you to learn that the Bible talks about your vocation. It matters to God that you work hard and that you see your job as an opportunity to glorify God. Join us as we journey through the Bible to see what it says about vocation.
When you read the Bible, God’s decree pops off the page. God is sovereign, yet not all people rightly understand God’s decree. In this episode, we attempt to explain section 3 of our Confession of Faith while also answering a few objections.
In this episode, you will hear some thoughts on section two Trinity Fellowship Churches Confession of Faith. Section two is about God and the Trinity.
In this episode of Cornfield Theology I discuss the importance of the Bible in Christianity. It is the first installment of several podcasts focusing on Redemption Hill confession of faith.
There are a lot of words to describe the last twelve months. Churches have been and are still wrestling with how to gather. In this episode, we discuss the importance of gathering as a local church while navigating uncertain waters.
Did the resurrection of Jesus Christ happen? We think so, and we are willing to defend it. Take a listen to learn more.
Some of you all might cancel Cornfield Theology after this podcast. Why? We talk about the glorious doctrine of election.
Who is Jesus? This question is perhaps the most important question a person could answer. In this episode, we attempt to breakdown what the Bible and the early church say about Jesus, the Christ.
Will it all "pan out" in the end? Or does Scripture tell us more about the 2nd Advent of Christ? In this podcast, you will hear about the different eschatological systems and what we think best represents the Bible.
Everyone serves (and worships) a king. The question is, who are you serving? Here is part two of a teleological argument for a Super King with a special guest, Chris Oswald.
In this podcast, I sit down with Chris Oswald, and we discuss how reading and understanding the political theory of Thomas Hobbes reveals our need for a super King.
Listen to why I am a BIG fan of Covenant Mercies. We also talk about the role of the American church in relationship to developing countries. Finally, we answer the question, what is the end goal of missions?
Diversity is a buzzword these days. So what does it mean for a church to be diverse from the newborn baby to those heading toward retirement? I discuss this with Rob Lane. Take a listen to learn more.
Why does your church do what it does every Sunday? Why are specific songs used in your worship gathering? What about preaching and the Lord's Table? How does it all fit together? We ask a lot of questions, and hopefully, we provide you with some answers. Listen to this Cornfield Theology podcast to learn more.
When people talk about church planting, the focus is on the church planting pastor. But it takes more than a pastor to plant a church. Planting a church takes commitment from numerous people committed to Christ and the advancement of Christ's Kingdom. In this podcast, hear the stories and thoughts, not from the church planting pastor, but from those who joined the core team.
What does it mean to be called into pastoral ministry? What are the joys and hardships of pastoral ministry? In this podcast pastor Shawn allows you behind the curtain of pastoral ministry.
There are various means of counseling. Even in Christianity, there is a diversity of counseling. In this podcast, my guest, Justin, makes a case for biblical counseling. Take a listen and learn why biblical counseling matters.
Several words in the Bible have become taboo to say in the culture. One word is "sin." It's been replaced with other terms. But the Bible is clear about sin and a person's sin nature. The Bible is also clear about the remedy to sin.
In this episode, we examine the current political climate in American and then discuss the Christian response to American politics.
Creeds and confessions of faith have been around for A LONG time. But why are confessions and creeds important? What does it mean for a church to be "confessional." I am joined by Jacob Young, pastor of King's Cross Church in Manchester, New Hampshire, to talk about confessions and some of the books we are currently reading. I hope you enjoy this episode of Cornfield Theology.
The election is right around the corner, and many people are talking about the General Election. As people talk around the watercolor about their favorite candidate, what are some principles for debating well? We discuss this, and more, in this Cornfield Theology episode called "dignified debates."
What does it mean to be made in God's image? Are men and women created with different roles? Are they equal? Listen to this podcast to learn more.
How does woke doctrine square with the Bible? How should Christians think about cancel culture, white privilege, white guilt, and additional woke doctrines? In part 2 of 3 of Why We Are Not Woke, we discuss the implications of accepting or rejecting woke doctrine.
Jacob Young, a pastor of King's Cross in Manchester New Hampshire, joins the Cornfield Theology podcast via Zoom to discuss the term evangelical. What does it mean to be called an evangelical? How has the word become politized over the years? And should you call yourself an evangelical? We discuss these questions and more.
How did woke culture develop? What are the underpinnings of cancel culture, white privilege, and other woke doctrines? In part 1 of 3, we discuss neo-marxism, BLM, intersectionality, and critical race theology.
Recorded from a park in the Twin Cities, this podcast explores how the gospel is the answer to addiction. My friend, Justin Lakemacher, joins me to talk about his experience as a formal addict who is currently helping addicts.
Is there an objective truth that helps you make sense of this world? If there is an objective truth, where do you find it? In this Cornfield Theology Podcast, we explore the importance of the Bible as the source of objective truth for humanity.
What should parents consider when deciding how to educate their children? In this episode, Shawn Powers invites Rob Lane, a longtime educator, into the conversation about the pros and cons of public, private, and homeschool education.
What are the good reasons to leave a local church? What are the bad reasons? When should you decide to leave your local church? This is always a weighty topic, ... Read more
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Gracious, intelligent people from almost every tradition disagree on this topic. Does the Bible forbid, allow, or even encourage women to be deacons in the church? Can women be deacons? ... Read more
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“Denominationalism is destroying the church,” one man remarked to us a couple of years ago. Is this true? What are the benefits of denominationalism? What bad comes from the distinctions ... Read more
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Why can people, and even Christians, be so mean to one another? How can we deal with mean people? How can we be bold proponents of truth while displaying the ... Read more
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Let’s talk about preaching. Preaching is a pastoral tool used to care for the souls of those in God’s flock. It’s important to let God speak. But why? How can ... Read more
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We love the revelatory gifts of the Spirit. We love tongues, prophecy, healing, word of wisdom, and all the rest. But why? What does the Bible teach about the gifts ... Read more
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Episode 1 – Right from the middle of the great cornfield called Iowa, Shawn and Brooks introduce the podcast and discuss church planting. How does one plant a church? Is ... Read more
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