By Gary Shogren, Seminario ESEPA, San José, Costa Rica I have at last spotted a creature that until now I’d only read about. It is the reappearance of a style of preaching which does an end-run around the rational mind and appeals to the non-rational. I’m probably the last one of my social set to... Continue Reading →
The Parable of the Lost Coin, Luke 15:8-10
8 “Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost!’... Continue Reading →
Para los lectores de habla castellano…
En el pasado, hemos ofredico en este blog unos artículos en el castellano. Ahora, hemos movido toda la materia al nuevo blog: http://www.razondelaesperanza.wordpress.com Además, es excelente aprovecharse de biblia.com, un blog de teología evangélica en español. Todos están cordialmente invitados! ¡Bendiciones! Gary Shogren
What books have I used to write a commentary on 1-2 Thessalonians? [Studies in 1 Thessalonians]
Note: In November 2012 I published a commentary of 1-2 Thessalonians for Zondervan (click HERE). The advice given below is applicable to all preaching and writing projects. I used to do business at a local office building. On the wall was an engraved map of the New World from the 1600s. It was a real... Continue Reading →
We should challenge all who need correction…young or old (1 Tim 5:1)
By Gary Shogren, Seminario ESEPA, San José, Costa Rica The Bible does not tell us to refrain from correcting our elders; this is a misunderstanding that arises from 1 Tim 5:1 KJV, “rebuke not an elder”. We should understand that there is more harshness implicit in “rebuke”; the NIV for example says “Do not... Continue Reading →
How to Teach your Church to Pray: Don’t tell them, show them!
The Twelve learned to pray by asking, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples” (Luke 11:1 NIV). For that they received the Lord’s Prayer, which functions as Jesus intended, whether used as a model or prayed verbatim. In general the North American church fails to teach its people to pray. For... Continue Reading →
Debate over the Código Real New Testament
By Gary Shogren, Seminario ESEPA, San José, Costa Rica On Monday Feb 22, 2010, I took part in a public debate with D. A. Hayyim, the editor of the Código Real, a paraphrase of the New Testament from the perspective of Talmudic Judaism. The Spanish transcript of the debate may now be found in my... Continue Reading →
Isn’t a pastor mainly a teacher?
By Gary Shogren, Seminario ESEPA, San José, Costa Rica Much of my formative ministry experience took place at a summer Bible Conference in New Hampshire. What I would see was a famous preacher speaking to a crowd of 500 people every morning and night, wowing them with his expositions. In fact, it was sitting in one session... Continue Reading →
Greek, a science?
By Gary Shogren, Seminario ESEPA, San José, Costa Rica Some thoughts I wrote on another wordpress.com blog, which I reproduce with respect to the blogger: Greek study is a science. As with any science, it's not possible to scan the web and read various articles and then make a truly informed decision. There are good... Continue Reading →
The “Day of the Lord” in Paul’s Letters: what does it say about Jesus? [Studies in Thessalonians]
In 1 Thess 5:2 Paul speaks of the Day of the Lord, concerning which no-one knows the time. Later in 2 Thess 2:2 he speaks of the Day of the Lord and then says that it cannot be at hand since the great Apostasy and the Man of Lawlessness have not yet appeared. Let us... Continue Reading →