Gary Shogren's Blog
Para la versión castellana, vaya AQUI. Come with me to ESEPA Seminary in Costa Rica: we meet at night around a table, and with me are all my advanced students of Greek. Throughout four semesters we have studied the ancient dialect, koinē, and they have found blessings as they read the New Testament in the... Continue Reading →
Chapter Seven – I teach in seminary I’ve now been a professor, teaching in English and then in Spanish, for over 30 years. The first seminary where I taught put us through a sort of Professor Boot Camp. Our academic dean stressed: “Your students will remember only a portion of the content you teach; they... Continue Reading →
From my ministry in Central America, I understand how names change from language to language: the English form of my name “Gary Shogren” is difficult for the Spanish-speaker – the “a” and the “e” don’t have exact counterparts in Spanish; nor does “sh”. I say my name one way if I’m speaking English and another... Continue Reading →
I just wrote a post in which I gave advice to a younger Christian, and I urged him to memorize Scripture. A reader questions the value of Bible memorization compared with other Bible activities. He says: I would say focus on reading comprehension and understanding what you are reading and ask questions whenever possible -... Continue Reading →
[I wrote this post at the very end of 2012. In 2021 we relocated to the States, since all of my teaching at Seminario ESEPA is now done online. A lot has changed since I wrote this, especially in the possibility of accessing older printed works online. And when I visit the Westminster Seminary library,... Continue Reading →
Chapter Five – I start to teach others For two years I had been taking in the Bible and growing in prayer and evangelism. I served a summer as a camp counselor at Camp Pine Ridge in Rumney, New Hampshire. The older counselors were students at Bible college, and they told me that the New... Continue Reading →
When I open the Bible and see things that seem too harsh or too merciful, too strict or too easy, counterintuitive or surprising or even shocking, then I dare to hope that the Spirit is about to lead me away from my truths to a deeper grasp of his Truth.
In September 1972, I picked up a Bible, opened it and began to read it for myself. To be sure, I had grown up in a Bible-believing Baptist church. I went to Sunday School, memorized Bible verses, could recite the books of the Bible. I knew what Revelation was about and the basic plot of... Continue Reading →
Since I just published an article on chronic sin (CLICK HERE), I thought I'd follow it up with another about the Wretched Man passage of Romans 7:14-25. It took me about eight years of back-and-forth to write. My conclusion may surprise you. Shogren Romans 7 Originally published in Evangelical Quarterly 72/2 (April, 2000): 119-134.
I offered to teach my hairdresser how to study the Bible. Her counteroffer: every Thursday she’d close up shop and I’d teach her entire staff! “Now, we’re all from different backgrounds,” she said. “But you’re going to teach about us how to study the Bible for ourselves, not promote a specific denomination, right?” Next Stop:... Continue Reading →
Open Our Eyes, Lord! 