Category Archives: Index

“That Which Is Perfect”: Laying On Hands (expanded)

It’s long been argued that miracles died out a generation after the apostles, because miraculous gifts were given exclusively through the laying on of apostolic hands. And there are indeed a number of verses that suggest this to be true. … Continue reading

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Communion Meditation: A Lesson from an Eight-Year Old

I was baptized when I was eight. I was short for my age, skinny, and proudly wore a butch cut. The kids would call it a buzz cut today. My church had less than 100 members, and we met in … Continue reading

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“That Which Is Perfect”: What Does It Mean to Know “Face to Face”?

[With thanks to Charles McLean for his post found here.] As previously discussed, both 1 Cor. 13:8-14 and Eph. 4:11-14 promise the mature Christian a personal knowledge of Jesus–to know “face to face” or to have the “knowledge of the … Continue reading

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“That Which Is Perfect”: Implications for the Churches of Christ

I am deeply concerned about a creeping Deism within the Churches of Christ. Following Campbell’s lead, many among us have long denied the personal indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We just have trouble getting comfortable with the mystical and miraculous. … Continue reading

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“That Which Is Perfect”: Have Miracles Ceased?

And so, does this mean that tongues and other miraculous manifestations are with us today? Well, it’s not the purpose of these posts to answer all the questions–largely because I don’ t have all the answers. I have no reason … Continue reading

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“That Which Is Perfect”: Are Tongues for the Mature?

1 Cor. 13 may not tell us whether miracles have ended, but it does clearly tell us that the ability to speak in tongues or even to prophesy is no proof of spiritual excellence! Rather, these are given as crutches … Continue reading

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“That Which Is Perfect”: What Paul Really Meant

I grew up at a time when Pentecostalism was highly controversial in the Churches of Christ. Many churches split over the issue. As a result of the controversy, the Churches had to develop a response to the question of whether … Continue reading

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Missional Christianity: The Church of Small Things

When we consider how the church should respond to its surrounding community, the starting point of the discussion has to be how Jesus responded to his surrounding community. We’ve considered some of what Jesus did. Consider for a moment what … Continue reading

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Missional Christianity: The Jesus of Small Things

The Jesus that Luke tells us about is cosmically powerful. He can heal at a distance, calm storms with a word, and command legions of angels. Moreover, he is a man on a mission, well aware of his historic destiny, … Continue reading

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Luke chapter 10

I’ve now added lesson notes on Luke 10. I’m preparing these for veteran teachers I coach for our Sunday morning adult education program but they should be suitable for personal study. Luke chapter 10

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