Category: Blog

Posted on

Augustine’s Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Love (The Enchiridion)

Augustine’s Handbook was written to be a “suitable foundation” for Christian faith” (4) and presents his doctrine in terms of the Christian journey in which revelation is received through the graces of faith, hope, and love. Each of these graces are integrated, but hope and love flow from faith (7). Augustine insists that this is more than an intellectual endeavor – one’s “heart [must] be set on fire with great zeal” (6). The singular purpose of the three graces is to inform “how God is to be worshiped” (2).

Continue reading “Augustine’s Handbook on Faith, Hope, and Love (The Enchiridion)”

FacebooktwitterFacebooktwitter
Posted on

My Testimony – Reflecting on a Pastor’s Global Mission

I was recently invited to speak about engaging in global mission as a local church pastor. Here are my brief remarks.

In the Fall of 1980, I was pastoring a small church in Attapulgus, Georgia. I was just a few months into the pastorate, when I invited a young evangelist – Phillip Kirkland – to come preach a revival. One night during the altar service he prophesied these words to me: “God has anointed you to preach the gospel throughout the world and God will raise you up to be a Pentecostal leader.” I was from a small town, pastoring in a small town, and never anticipated ministry beyond small town Georgia . . .

Continue reading “My Testimony – Reflecting on a Pastor’s Global Mission”

FacebooktwitterFacebooktwitter
Posted on

Gregory of Nyssa: Catechetical Discourse

One might be tempted to think that messages targeted for the catechesis of new believers would be simple – reflecting the milk of babes. One would be wrong! In reading Gregory of Nyssa’s messages, it is evident that his messages are more than a child-like apologetic for the faith. Rather, he intends that his readers be intellectually challenged and transformed. Reading these messages requires one to be engaged in the meat of the word – the mysteries of Christian revelation. Gregory writes in a rhetorical fashion in which he anticipates the questions and objections of his readers.

Continue reading “Gregory of Nyssa: Catechetical Discourse”

FacebooktwitterFacebooktwitter
Posted on

Basil – On the Holy Spirit

Basil the Great lived and worked in a most contentious age – between the Council of Nicaea (325) and the Council of Constantinople (381). At issue was the Christian revelation of God. Basil’s opponents were the semi-Arians, Sabellians, and the Pneumatomachi (Spirit-fighters), all of whom denied the equal divine nature of the Holy Spirit with the Father and the Son, thereby denying the doctrine of Holy Trinity.

Continue reading “Basil – On the Holy Spirit”

FacebooktwitterFacebooktwitter