Gary Shogren's Blog
In Part 1, I argued in favor of a sharply minimalist use of ancient Hebrew and Greek words during a sermon, especially if there is no compelling purpose or, worse, if the goal is to impress the crowd: it is a pitiable housepainter who departs the job with his scaffolding still up, hoping you’ll notice... Continue Reading →
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 →
Have you debated the doctrine of election, jaw clenched, over coffee? In a classroom? In your small group? It’s a vital topic, but your venue is ill-chosen. Rather, we should be discussing the doctrine of election to the extent we are doing evangelism and being eyewitnesses to God's transforming power. That's how the apostles did... Continue Reading →
These posts are based on my commentary on 1-2 Thessalonians, available from Zondervan Publishing. 1 Corinthians and Thessalonians: My New Commentaries now available! The review of my commentary in the international Review of Biblical Literature: http://www.bookreviews.org/pdf/8733_9615.pdf What books have I used to write a commentary on 1-2 Thessalonians? [Studies in 1 Thessalonians] What Would a Mother... Continue Reading →
These posts are adaptations of my commentary on 1 Corinthians, based on my own study of the critical Greek text, the early church fathers and the best of contemporary scholarship. It is available in Spanish from http://www.clie.es, in English from Amazon and from Logos. Why you’ve never heard of the Second Corinthian Church [Studies in... Continue Reading →
We’re about 30 minutes into a movie that I’m about to snap off, because it’s the umpteenth version of clichéd plot #74, that one about The Cop who Plays by his own Rules. He doesn’t “go by the book,” so he gets suspended and has to turn in his badge. His apartment is a mess; his relationships... Continue Reading →
Spiritual growth comes through Spirit-power and direction, applied from the inside out as God rewrites our heart, soul and mind to conform to his righteousness. Revivals of history have come as the result of prayer and the Spirit’s power; most are absent of any persecution as a proximate cause: the Reformation, Great Awakening, the Wesleyan... Continue Reading →
Is persecution good for what ails the church? Here’s the word on the street: Viewpoint A: Everyone knows that persecution purifies the church – Therefore, if revival is to come, it will be through suffering. Therefore, persecution is a good, a benefit. Therefore, the committed Christian should pray for persecution to fall on their country.... Continue Reading →
Announcement! The English version of my 1 Corinthians commentary is now available from Logos.com; it is fully integrated with the Logos system. Only $19.95. Or you can download a pdf version for free from this blog! (https://openoureyeslord.com/2012/05/21/free-commentary-on-1-corinthians-2/) What does agape mean? What are the spiritual gifts? Should women wear veils to church? Or remain absolutely... Continue Reading →
Paul was a traveling apostle, not the local pastor of Corinth. Nevertheless, he had to deal with the members of this flock in a pastoral way, teaching, encouraging and rebuking them. I’ve spend some years studying 1 Corinthians, and I must admit honestly, that if I had been Paul, I would have been heavily tempted... Continue Reading →
Open Our Eyes, Lord! 