Interview: Dr. David Powlison on “Reading the Bible For Personal Application”

In their ongoing series of previews of the ESV Study Bible Crossway has posted online a 10-page PDF containing 5 of the 50 articles that will be in the back of the Study Bible.. This section is on “Reading the Bible” (pdf):
· Reading the Bible Theologically, by J.I. Packer
· Reading the Bible as Literature, by Leland Ryken
· Reading the Bible in Prayer and Communion with God, by John Piper
· Reading the Bible for Personal Application, by David Powlison
· Reading the Bible for Preaching and Public Worship, by R. Kent Hughes

I’m privileged today to be able to interview Dr. David Powlison on “Reading the Bible for Personal Application.”

David Powlison, M.Div., Ph.D. is a counselor and faculty member at CCEF and is the editor of the Journal of Biblical Counseling. He holds a Ph.D. in History and Science of Medicine from the University of Pennsylvania, as well as a Master of Divinity degree from Westminster Theological Seminary.

Dr. Powlison has been counseling for over thirty years. He has written many books and articles on biblical counseling and the relationship between faith and psychology. Dr. Powlison is an adjunct professor at Westminster Theological Seminary and has taught across the world. David and his wife, Nan, have a son, two daughters, and one granddaughter.

I want to thank Dr. Powlison for answering a few questions about his outstanding essay in the ESV Study Bible, “Reading the Bible for Personal Application.”Continue reading “Interview: Dr. David Powlison on “Reading the Bible For Personal Application””

Surprising Encouragement

Just a couple of stories about the grace that’s all around us, that appears in small ways, and might appear more often if we prayed and took notice of where Jesus said the Kingdom appears.

I.

On Thursday, almost everyone I work with was at a waterpark about an hour away, including my family. I opted to stay home and get work done, as school is about to start and I am way behind on several projects that have to be completed soon.

While the entire staff is gone, a volunteer group from one of our supporting churches comes and does whatever needs to be done in order to keep everything safe and running in the absence of all the support staff. These are people who come a very long way just to do a servant ministry on this one day.

So I was on campus and had to go to the main office for a moment, and outside that building was one man from this group, enjoying the beauty of the day on our nearly deserted campus. I passed him going in and spoke briefly, and on my way out I did the same. He was friendly, but it was all small talk.Continue reading “Surprising Encouragement”

The Church Membership Question: What I Believe

There’s one more interview out there in this series, but I don’t know when it’s going to arrive, so this will be the “closer” for now. Thanks to everyone for reading, linking and commenting.

Here is the original goal of this series of posts: I wanted to examine the question, “Is the concept of local church membership viable- even essential- today or should it be abandoned?”

Obviously, this is an important question, and also one that many people have already answered in the negative. I have been surprised to learn how many of my friends in “churches” that grew out of the Jesus Movement and the Charismatic renewal have rejected any concept of church membership as legalistic. Certainly, many in the emerging church have made a similar decision, and the church growth movement- ironically- contains many examples of “churches” without members.Continue reading “The Church Membership Question: What I Believe”

Miscellaneous, This and That, Etc.

Some random things that some of you will be interested in:

1) Church Membership Series: I have a summary post I want to write and then there is one more interview, but I don’t know when the interview will arrive in my mailbox. So I may go ahead and write the summary, but it won’t be the last word. Thanks to all who have linked and participated.

2. Comments I won’t post: There are several kinds of comments I just delete, but let me spell them out for you. a) Name-calling personal attacks on either myself, other commenters or a person discussed in a post. It’s not constructive and I don’t edit; I just delete. b) Posts that say we shouldn’t be posting, or commenting, or discussing or blogging at all. This kind of comment is so incredibly self-contradictory (a blog comment that we shouldn’t have blogs or comments?) that it’s a waste of time. I dump it.Continue reading “Miscellaneous, This and That, Etc.”

Recommendation and Review: Heaven Misplaced by Douglas Wilson

When you hear the term “postmillennialism,” what comes to your mind?

The church taking over society? Naive optimism? A failure to notice that the world is getting worse and worse, not better and better?

Discussions in print of postmillennialism are rare enough, but simple and understandable ones are nearly unheard of. The average student of Christianity or eschatology never gives postmillennialism much of a thought and given what one would encounter in a typical evangelical discussion of the future, the lack of attention to postmillennialism is no great loss.Continue reading “Recommendation and Review: Heaven Misplaced by Douglas Wilson”

The Church Membership Question: Interview with Pastor Kevin Hash

UPDATE: Read Kevin in the comments. He is talking about what the SBC needs to hear.

Time for our second interview on “The Church Membership Question.” Our focus today is on the practical side. How are these issues worked out in a real congregation. I’ve got just the person. You will love this interview.

Kevin Hash is the pastor of Burton Memorial Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Kentucky and he is our guest today on “The Church Membership Question” series.

Kevin’s ministry is one of the most successful in our state at bringing college students and young adults into a traditional, multi-generational Southern Baptist Church. Kevin is one of the “young, restless and reformed” who has stayed true to a multi-generational church vision with theological depth, meaningful membership and genuine church discipline.

The last few years have brought Kevin across many crossroads in the growth and life of his congregation, and along with that has come wisdom to be shared with the IM audience.

Kevin, thanks for joining us here at IM as we look at “The Church Membership Question.”Continue reading “The Church Membership Question: Interview with Pastor Kevin Hash”