January
2006 Blog Archives
Tuesday,
January 31
7:54
PM
A
prominent leader in the homeschooling movement has been defrocked. People
are asking, “What should be done?” Paul’s answer is: “restore him” (Gal.
6:1). Help him confess his sins and find forgiveness in Christ. Then
welcome him back into the fellowship. “One test of true spirituality,”
writes F. F. Bruce in his Galatians commentary, “is a readiness to set
those who stumble by the wayside on the right road again in a sympathetic
spirit.” Like setting a broken bone, the process is bound to be painful,
but the sooner the bone is set the sooner the healing can begin. This is
no time for anyone to feel self-righteous. Being harsh or judgmental is
excluded. But this is also no time for rationalizations. My prayer is that
my brother, having been caught in a long series of trespasses, will not
run from the truth but rather embrace it. I pray that he will submit
himself to the loving discipline of God and his church and make
restitution to the people he has hurt. And may we all remember: actions
have consequences.
7:47
PM
We’ve been receiving plenty of emails from Ethiopia. It
struck me that it was only a year ago that I was first introduced to the
Lord’s work there. The three trips I’ve made there in the past 14 months
have literally changed my life. It’s especially good to hear from our
adopted sons and daughter and to see that they are doing so well. It’s
amazing to think that on Feb. 26 we will be celebrating Bereket’s first
spiritual birthday. I still can’t believe that God would let me in on all
the fun. Reminds me of the song Unworthy by Ira F. Stanphill:
Unworthy am I of the grace that He gave,
Unworthy to hold to His hand;
Amazed that a King would reach down to a slave,
This love I cannot understand.
Chorus:
Unworthy, unworthy, a beggar;
In bondage and alone;
But He made me worthy and now by His grace,
His mercy has made me His own.
My sorrow and sickness laid stripes on His
back,
My sins caused the blood that was shed;
My faults and my failures have woven a crown
Of thorns, that He wore on His head.
Unworthy am I of the glory to come,
Unworthy with angels to sing;
I thrill just to know that He loved me so much,
A pauper, I walk with the King
Let’s
continue to pray for a powerful work of the Holy Spirit in the church in
Ethiopia in the days and weeks to come.
7:30
PM
Here’s a good discussion of the latest attack on the
doctrine of grace, the so-called “Federal
Vision.” All I can say is, What do people do who do not rely solely on
the grace of God in their lives? I could not make it through a single day
without it.
7:25
PM
The great Robert Dabney had this to say about the text of
the New Testament:
This received text contains undoubtedly all
the essential facts and doctrines intended to be set down by the inspired
writers; for if it were corrected with the severest hand, by the light of
the most divergent various readings found in any ancient MS. or version,
not a single doctrine of Christianity, nor a single cardinal fact would be
thereby expunged. . . .If all the debated readings were surrendered by us,
no fact or doctrine of Christianity would thereby be invalidated, and
least of all would the doctrine of Christ's proper divinity be deprived of
adequate scriptural support. Hence the interests of orthodoxy are entirely
secure from and above the reach of all movements of modern criticism of
the text whether made in a correct or incorrect method, and all such
discussions in future are to the church of subordinate importance.
Source: Robert L. Dabney, "The Doctrinal Various Readings of the New
Testament Greek," in Discussions by Robert L. Dabney: Volume I:
Theological and Evangelical, edited by G. R. Vaughn (Richmond,
Virginia: Presbyterian Committee of Publication, 1890), pp. 351, 389.
7:22
PM
Greek students, Andrew Wilson just sent me an email with
this heads-up:
Hi Dave,
Nice to have you back online again.
Just wanted to let you (and any of your
students) know that I am organising an open-source, online NT textual
commentary. The aim of the commentary is to give voice to the diversity of
textual opinion and allow people to respond to others' viewpoints and put
forward different ideas in a respectful environment.
To read a brief summary of the project, go
to
www.nttext.com/nttop.html
Yours in our Lord Jesus Christ,
Andrew Wilson
My
comment: I hope all of you will check out this site and consider
contributing to it yourselves.
7:18
PM
Other than the Gospels, my favorite New Testament writing
is the book of Hebrews. I see I’m not the only fan of Hebrews out there. A
reader had this to say:
Bro. Dave,
I'm happy to see you reference the
wonderful book of Hebrews. I think it is one of the most UNDER-taught
books in the N.T. It's one of my favorites along with Phi. and Romans. One
of my favorite quotations is Phi. 2:9-11. But what I wanted to say is that
when a preacher or teacher says he will be using Hebrews, you can bet your
last bird dog that 99.999999% of the time, he will be using Heb. 11. I
think that must be the only chapter that is taught in most seminaries. And
the whole book should be the centerpiece of NT teaching in my opinion.
In Christ,
Buddy
Monday,
January 30
6:33
PM
It's sad but true but
pop culture
has invaded Ethiopia. Becky spent several sessions counseling young ladies
on our recent trip, and a big topic was modest clothing. Many of them had
never thought about why they wore jeans before. It was good to see their
positive response to Becky's Bible teaching. Personally, I think young
ladies look absolutely beautiful in dresses.
6:14
PM
Been a busy day here at the farm. We put up about 400 feet of woven and
barbed wire fencing along the back property line. The weather has been
very mild so we worked in short sleeves. I am tired, hurting, and very
happy. Working outdoors is good for the soul. Right now I've got a stack
of books from the library I'm trying to work through. I'm also trying to
write a response to the recent defrocking of a Presbyterian pastor.
Becky has been hard
at work preparing a video clip and some pictures for our Ethiopia
presentations that begin this Sunday. We will be speaking in 10 different
churches in the next 8 weeks. Still haven't gotten a ride in on Trav yet,
but farm work is more important these days. I used to be able to do both,
but that was several years ago.
8:24
AM
Here's a church marquee I'd like to see sometime:
Senior Pastor: Jesus
Christ
Ministers: Every
Member
Assistants to the
Ministers: Elders and Deacons
7:56
AM
Notable quote:

The gentleman
does not needlessly and unnecessarily remind an offender of a wrong he
may have committed against him. He can not only forgive; he can forget;
and he strives for that nobleness of self and mildness of character
which imparts sufficient strength to let the past be put the past.
7:50
AM
Is cremation a legitimate option for a Christian?
Rodney Decker recently posted an
essay on this topic (.pdf). This is a great aid for anyone needing to
work through this issue.
7:43
AM
Monday morning shout-out to Brother Logan Carson and the congregation at
Olive Branch Baptist Church in Wake Forest, NC. I had the privilege of
speaking at this historic church (founded in 1865) yesterday. Dr. Carson
(my colleague at Southeastern) and his deacons are pictured below.
Yesterday was also their annual "Pastor's Big Nibble" after the service,
and the ladies of the church prepared a fantastic southern-style meal that
included some terrific broasted chicken and collards.

I enjoyed
the interaction with the congregation during my sermon and also the time
of sharing they had mid-service. I wouldn't mind seeing these ideas
incorporated into more of our services in keeping with 1 Cor. 14.
7:38
AM In
our New Testament class we will be studying in detail the discourse
structure of several books. Here's an essay I wrote years ago on the
various ways of outlining the book of
Hebrews. The conclusion reads:
Finally, even though expositors may
continue to disagree among themselves as to the exact structure of
Hebrews, there is still virtually unanimous agreement that illuminating
exegesis involves an openness and receptivity to the text which are
characteristic of the grammatico-historical study of the Scripture. In
allowing the text to speak for itself and the author to be his own
interpreter, one observes in Hebrews the literary mastery of an author who
composed his magnum opus with the care of a Michelangelo working on the
Sistine Chapel. This is obvious from the very first words (1:1-4), whose
design is consistent with the language set forth throughout the epistle.
Does not one get the impression that the magnificent prose in what
Lightfoot has called "the most beautifully constructed and expressive
sentence in the New Testament” is intended to express not only the general
theme of the writing but its compositional genre as well? Is it not
possible that the writer is attempting to declare, at the very opening of
his work, that the momentous theme which he is setting forth requires a
literary style unparalleled in its beauty and form? Perhaps the opening
words are not an exposition but an invitation, not the apex of the
composition but the narthex of a great cathedral, whose grandeur and
symmetry become apparent only to those of us who will enter and
attentively linger within. Not in the forcing of the structure to the
surface, but in the submersion of ourselves, is there hope for the future
of investigation in this fascinating area.
7:26
AM
More mission news.
The Dada church is a rural
congregation in a 99 percent Muslim area of Ethiopia. They have had 198
new converts since August. Their congregation numbers about 300, but they
have only 20 Bibles. They are now memorizing 9 passages of Scripture, and
their goal is to have at least 200 people complete all 9 passages by
Easter. My Richmond students were the first to contribute to this new
Bible memory program in
the rural Muslim-area churches of Alaba. I'm asking my friends to join me
in praying for this young congregation in a severely persecuted part of
the nation. Below: The elders of the Dada congregation.

7:21
AM
LeTourneau University is looking for an
assistant
professor of Biblical Studies.
Saturday,
January 28
8:26
PM
Check this out. Our son has been scavenging in North Carolina and found
this lumber in a house built 150 years ago. I don't know how he locates
these properties. I think one of his spiritual gifts must be scrounging
old buildings (with the owner's permission, of course). We've unloaded
these boards and he has already gone back for a second load. The plan is
to use this lumber in building our next guest house. The weather is
calling for rain on Monday so we'll be unloading lumber again tomorrow.
Who knows -- I may even get a ride in.

8:19
PM
Back home after a whirlwind trip. I had to run up to Richmond yesterday to
teach my New Testament class. I love this part of Virginia. I can almost
feel the history, it's so thick. Years ago I became involved in Civil War
reenacting but I never thought I would actually live in the Old Dominion
state. A good spirit prevailed at my class in Richmond. We are focusing on
New Testament principles of leadership and spent time on Paul's farewell
speech to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 and his description of a
Christian leader in 1 Thess. 5:12-13. By the way, we are studying the
Pauline epistles in their chronological (not canonical) order and loving
it. This weekend we covered the Thessalonian letters and the book of
Galatians. On the write-board we analyzed the structure of 1 Thess. 1:2-5
and 4:3-8 -- and amazing patterns emerged. Let's face it: most of us never
get this far with our exegesis of the text, but it sure is rewarding.
Let's focus on studying the text and not what others are saying about it.
Life between now and the second coming of Christ is too short to do
otherwise. On the way home I had lunch with Becky in one of those
restaurants with those funny little sayings posted everywhere, including
this one: "There are three kinds of people -- those who make things
happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what
happened." There's tons of wonderful insights in the text but we have to
"make things happen" by reading the text and not just the commentaries. At
any rate, this weekend has been refreshing in every way,
thus far at least.
Next up: teaching in
Wake Forest in the morning and singing with our men's group tomorrow night
at our fifth Sunday singspiration at a church a few miles from our farm.
Good old-fashioned country gospel music -- can't beat it.
Friday,
January 27
12:08
PM
Just added three more speaking engagements to our "On the Road" page:
-
Bethel Hill Baptist Church, Roxboro,
NC, Sunday, Feb. 5, 11:00 am
-
Oxford Orphanage, Oxford, NC, Sunday,
Feb. 26, 11:00 am
-
Raleigh Chinese Christian Church,
Raleigh, NC, Sunday, Mar. 19, 11:15 am
At each of these services Becky and I will be reporting on our
trip to Ethiopia.
11:52
AM
J. B.
Hood (what a great name for someone who lives in the South) has some
excellent
commentary recommendations on the Gospel of Matthew.
11:48
AM
A
reader sent me this nice email from Georgia:
Dave, thank you for that GREAT response
about polygamy…. Your response is the best I’ve seen on a topic that is
rarely discussed.
11:45
AM
Right
now I’m buried under a pile of work getting ready for my New Testament
class this weekend at Richmond. The focus will be on becoming a New
Testament church and I’m working on a major essay called “21 Reforms for
the 21st Century Church.” I hope to finish it next week.
11:32
AM
A big Friday
shout-out to
this overcomer.
Thursday,
January 26
5:59
AM
Becky has just completed
part two of
our Ethiopian adventure.
5:53
AM
An
issue I ran across in Africa concerns whether polygamists who come to
Christ can become members of a local church.
In
Ethiopia, a Muslim man who marries is encouraged by his parents to take a
second (and third) wife as quickly as possible. The parents believe this
will keep their son from becoming a Christian, since most Christian
denominations will not accept polygamists into membership.
This is
a difficult issue,
and I do not pretend to have the final answer, but I would like to some
advice for my Ethiopian pastor friends. Here is an email I am sending to
an Ethiopian church leader:
Dear ____:
I cannot tell you how much we miss all of you there in
Addis. The Lord blessed us beyond what we could have imagined during our
five weeks in Ethiopia, and a big part of that blessing was your help. I
would like to speak with you briefly about an issue you raised during my
visit. When you say that you have converted polygamists who desire to
become members of your church, I assume that the women involved are
members of the man’s household, and not his mistresses or concubines
(i.e., women used primarily for the man’s sexual gratification). The
latter relationships would, of course, be immoral and would have to be
discontinued. I’m quite sure you are referring to men who
have taken, legally, two or more wives. It is my understanding that such
an arrangement is a socially accepted marital unit in your culture. Of
course, in Islam polygamy is a time-honored tradition and is sanctioned by
the Koran. I assume that Ethiopia does not legislate against the practice?
At any rate, polygamy is not limited to
Africa. It has existed here in America, most notably among the Mormons,
some of whom still practice it. Neither Augustine nor Thomas Aquinas
taught that polygamy was in itself evil. Only if its purpose was sexual
pleasure was it considered evil. But as a means of propagating the race,
it was not considered an offense to God’s moral law. Luther approved of
the polygamous marriage of King Phillip of Hesse, his protector, and he
advised King Henry VIII of England to take another wife rather than
divorce his first wife. (Henry did not follow his advice). In 1531,
several of my own spiritual forbears, the Anabaptists at Muenster,
Germany, became polygamous, maintaining that “he who wants to be a true
Christian must have several wives.” And, as you well know, David and other
Old Testament believers had several wives.
So what should be the policy on polygamy
among sincere Christians? (I am not referring to Christians-in-name-only.)
I think it is obvious that the Bible neither explicitly advocates nor
condemns the institution of polygamy (it is never listed in the lists of
sins found in the New Testament, unlike adultery, fornication, etc.). In fact, it is portrayed as a
divinely accepted institution in certain cultural contexts, where God
apparently viewed it as a legitimate marriage. At the same time, the
silence of the Bible does not necessarily give us permission to practice
polygamy today. Perhaps the silence in Scripture is due to the fact that
references to polygamy are almost exclusively found in the Old Testament,
which, as you know from your studies, is largely comprised of historical
narrative. Such narratives do not normally include value judgments or
indications of God’s pleasure or displeasure.
So it seems to me that we must return to
the broader view of marriage that is clearly established in Scripture (see
Gen. 2, Matt. 19). This is God’s standard, or we might say ideal, for
marriage, and here polygamy clearly falls short. God puts one man and one
woman together in marriage, and this bond is to be an exclusive one.
Remember, the marital bond is a picture of Christ and His church (Eph. 5),
and there is only one Bride of Christ!
So to get back to your question: although
monogamy is clearly and unquestionably God-established, is it the only
acceptable marital institution to the exclusion of polygamy? Here are my
conclusions according to the limited light God has given me.
-
Christians who practice polygamy should not
become elders or deacons in the church (see 1 Tim. 3). This, to me, is the
obvious meaning of the statement “he must be the husband of one wife.”
-
Men who are believers should not seek or be
permitted to acquire a
second or third wife, even if polygamy is socially sanctioned. They should
always seek God’s ideal for the marital relationship.
-
Current polygamists who come to Christ
should not be prohibited from baptism. If they are Spirit baptized
(which they are, according to1 Cor. 12:13), they should be water
baptized. Nowhere in the New Testament is baptism conditioned on a changed
life. Obedience follows as baptized believers are instructed in the ways
of the Lord (Matt. 28:19).
-
It is my opinion that polygamists who come
to Christ should care for and support their wives financially. I do not
recommend divorce in these situations, as this would only compound the
problem and the divorced wives would likely
be considered “used furniture.”
In short, although the New Testament
teaches monogamy as the ideal or normal form of marriage, in my view it
does not expressly prohibit polygamy except in the case of a church
leader. Yet should not the qualifications for elders and deacons in 1
Timothy be traits that all Christians should strive to emulate?
One final thought. In the Old Testament,
there are dozens of passages where polygamy is mentioned, and it always
results in trouble, jealousy, and strife. The subtle hint is that polygamy
is a great temptation to evil. As you know, Solomon had 700 wives. We read
in Deut. 17:17: “He [the king] must not take many wives, or his heart will
be led astray.” And then we read in 1 Kings 11:3: “His wives led him
astray.” How tragic! Then there is the story of Lamech in Genesis 4 (where
polygamy is mentioned for the first time in the Bible), a story that
implies that polygamy is a corruption of God’s initial intention of what
marriage should be. Therefore, it seems to me that just as God allowed
divorce because of the sinfulness of man, so He evidently permitted
polygamy for a time, even though it was (and undoubtedly still is) the cause
of great heartache, much like divorce.
As with every issue,
you must go to the Scriptures (not to what I have said or to what your
church's traditions might be) and allow them to be your sole guide.
I was
interested to learn that the evangelical church in Ethiopia inherited its policy on
polygamy from the missionaries, who were in no hurry to baptize anyone but
insisted on proven candidates because their model of conversion was a
total one (fides implicita was not adequate; fides explicita
was required). A similar thing occurred in Korea (where I have taught
numerous times). Beginning in the late 1800s a heated discussion arose
among the missionaries as to the requirements for church membership and
what constitutes a credible profession of faith. A key issue was polygamy.
The eventual outcome was the development of rigorous demands for
membership. The Methodists separated baptism from reception into church
membership as a probationary measure, while the Presbyterians adopted a
pre-baptismal probation of six months, known as catechumen class. Mission
concerns about polygamy changed baptism from a sign of conversion to a
sign of sanctification – a change that, in my view, cannot be justified
from Scripture.
5:40
AM
If
Bush were really
pro-life.
5:36
AM
Wise
words here from
Doulogos on selfish church hoppers:
I think Jim hit the nail on the head - it
is the pendulum swing that is dangerous. Throwing out one set of problems
for another set of problems - when the root problem is all that really
needs to be dealt with - a failure to submit to Christ.
If I am submitted to Christ, I learn to be content in whatever state the
local assembly is in. It is not for me to fix His church, but for me to
love His church. There are legitimate reasons to leave a church; but most
people leave because they don't love the people in the church enough to
stay choosing instead to serve their own comfort and preference.
The church is cancerous - and the cancer is this: "I am here to be served"
- and when that selfish attitude (bleeding in from the world) permeates
the hearts and attitudes of people who are not grounded in Christ - it is
fertile soil for discontentment. That discontentment grows sufficient in
some people that they begin to blame the church for it, and not the
worldly attitudes they themselves are embracing contrary to the Spirit of
God.
5:30
AM
I
agree totally with
Stephen Morse’s position on TV.
5:27
AM
Tall
Skinny Kiwi has published an interesting essay on
church reformation. In fact, all 5 of his points are scriptural
emphases of a biblical church (though he cites no Scriptures in the
essay).
5:25
AM
Over
at Wood and Steel, Scott MacIntyre writes about the gullibility of
evangelicals and their tendency to follow "leaders" blindly. I am becoming
more and more concerned about this distressing phenomenon (among
homeschoolers especially). Some of these "leaders" have huge followings
(fan clubs might be a better word). Some families will even uproot themselves and
relocate thousands of miles to associate with a particular person or
church. Before
you contemplate doing any such thing, please take a careful look at Scott’s
article. It is a feast of insight for all Christians. Read
The Culture of Followers.
Wednesday,
January 25
3:56
PM
Hendrickson Publishers sent me a prepublication copy of Gary Long’s
Grammatical Concepts 101 for Biblical Greek. The book will be
available in a few months. Here’s a brief paragraph I wrote for them to
use on the cover:
Gary Long has written a book on a topic
that most people would prefer to avoid. We all know that grammar is “good
for us,” but we cringe at the prospect at having to relearn everything we
learned (or were supposed to learn) in grade school. Add to that
the study of a second language – and one as challenging as New Testament
Greek – and you have a recipe for disaster. Enter Grammatical Concepts
101 for Biblical Greek. I rate this book as four stars (out of five)
because it almost achieves the impossible – it makes grammar as painless
as possible. I will definitely recommend it as a reference tool to my
Greek students. If anyone wants a concise, easy-to-understand definition
of any given part of speech (both in Greek and English), it’s all here!
3:50
PM
As
both a blogger and a writer for the print medium, I appreciated this essay
on
the blessings of blogging. By the way,
here’s an example of blogging at its best.
3:47
PM
Here’s
a witty ditty from
Cowboyology. I too have had my share of unplanned dismounts. It’s par
for the course.
3:42
PM
Jim
Elliott (of The End of the Spear fame) once wrote:
Oh, the fullness, pleasure, sheer
excitement of knowing God on earth! I care not if I never raise my voice
again for Him, if only I may love Him, please Him. Mayhap in mercy He
shall give me a host of children that I may lead them through the vast
star fields to explore His delicacies whose finger ends set them to
burning. But if not, if only I may see Him, touch His garments, and
smile into His eyes - ah then, not stars nor children shall matter, only
Himself.
All I
can say is Amen.
3:37
PM
A big
Wednesday shout-out to all of our new students, both at Southeastern
College of Wake Forest and the seminary. I enjoyed meeting many of them
last night at a reception given in their honor. Amazing how many are
studying biblical counseling and are even willing to risk taking Greek to
do it. My hat’s off to all of you.
3:30
PM
People
have been asking us, “Have you recovered from your trip yet?” Honestly,
it’s been a tough transition. Becky is missing our adopted children to
death but is handling it well. As for me, coming home has been a reminder
of how the American church has deserted the Gospel. Don’t get me wrong.
Our trip was great – sinners were saved, elders were instructed, women
were mentored (by Becky, not me), miracles were witnessed. It’s sort of
like Paul’s first missionary journey to Galatia, which was a huge success.
But as soon as he left, the Judaizers arrived, and the church was giving
up the truth. I suppose I’m going through what Paul felt or what Moses
experienced when he came down from the mountain only to find God’s people
worshiping the Golden Calf. The technical word for this is apostatizing,
which means abandoning the pure Gospel and the cross. We all are tempted
to forget sometimes that Jesus is all we need. So what are Becky and I
doing? Leaning on Him, focusing on others, and trying to remember why the
one true Gospel is such amazingly Good News.
3:22
PM
A
friend told me that he is very upset over our saber-rattling vis-à-vis
Iran. I am neither upset nor surprised. As I’ve said, we’ve been in a
war-mode for a long time, even though the results in Iran are
hardly commendable. The great
Machen (a Greek prof, by the way) put it this way:
I find there exactly the same evils that
are rampant in the world – centralized education programs, the
subservience of the church to the state, contempt for the rights of
minorities, standardization of everything, suppression of intellectual
adventure....I see more clearly than ever before that unless the gospel is
true and there is another world, our souls are in prison. The gospel of
Christ is a blessed relief from that sinful state of affairs commonly
known as hundred per-cent Americanism.
Much
more could be said, but let’s remember this: under the Christian just-war
theory, a nation may wage war only as a last resort, i.e., when the nation
is under attack or at least imminent threat of attack. I invite all of my
neo-Orwellian friends to sit down and reread the Constitution of the
United States. Meanwhile, there's no need to become despondent. Chin up
and knees down.
3:15
PM
Tons
of last-minute details to do today. I am especially excited about teaching
one of my favorite subjects, New Testament textual criticism. One of the
nice things about coming back after a five-week hiatus is seeing your
faculty colleagues again and getting caught up on their travels. Two of my
good friends just returned from Brazil, and one is on his way back from
Thailand. There’s a spirit of missions on this campus like you cannot
believe. It’s going to be a great semester.
Tuesday,
January 24
6:56
AM
Our very best wishes to
Rick Saenz
as he begins homesteading. It's a great life, brother.
6:38
AM
Over at The American Conservative, Thomas Woods makes a statement
I can
identify with:
The very initiation of the war in Iraq
constituted a breathtaking exercise of presidential power but one that has
grown so common that it is hardly even noticed or commented upon any
longer except by the occasional isolated constitutionalist.
6:27
AM
Just saw this great 'toon over at
Chad's blog:

For what it's worth, here's our
two cents on
the subject.
6:23
AM
Miscellany:
1)
I see that Becky and I haven't been the only ones dealing with
bed
bugs recently. Strange, though. Our bedding contained
numerous critters, but we actually got very few bites on our trip.
2) Dan Wallace reviews
Bart Ehrman's latest
work on textual criticism. Here's Dan's conclusion:
In sum, Ehrman’s latest book
does not disappoint on the provocative scale. But it comes up short on
genuine substance about his primary contention. Scholars bear a sacred
duty not to alarm lay readers on issues that they have little
understanding of. Unfortunately, the average layperson will leave this
book with far greater doubts about the wording and teachings of the NT
than any textual critic would ever entertain. A good teacher doesn’t hold
back on telling his students what’s what, but he also knows how to package
the material so they don’t let emotion get in the way of reason. A good
teacher does not create Chicken Littles.
3) Good news. Bereket leaves today for his village near Gonder. His sister
will meet him at the airport. He will return to Addis in two months for
his next eye exam. I know you will be praying for this young man and his
family. (Please note: The political situation in Ethiopia remains
tense.)
4) Textual students, you'll want to take a peek at
this blog entry about p46 and then go to the University of Michigan
website and view some of the images. Fantastic.
5) What a
cool site! (Yes,
I read Hebrew, even though I read more of my Hebrew New
Testament than my Hebrew Old Testament.)
6) Almost forget to say that only 2 of my 4 syllabi have been completed so
far. I'm finishing up the others today. They'll be posted
here.
7) The Common Room has posted a
wonderful
ode to the classics. And to think that I didn't take a foreign
language (Greek) until I was a senior in college.
8) If you are prone to take your
blogging too seriously, you must read
this.
9)
Free
Bible anyone?
6:20
AM
Questions, questions, questions here at Rosewood Farm! Which goat will
give birth first? Will she have twins? What should we name them? Will Dave
and Nate ever finish the barn extension? Will the ground ever dry off?
And Trav wants to know, "Will I ever be ridden again?" Stay tuned....

6:15
AM
Just added to our event calendar: The Battle of Sample Farm, a Civil War
reenactment at the historic
Latta Plantation near Charlotte, NC, March 25-26. Our son will be
calling the period dance on Saturday night.
6:12
AM
Writing on the subject of the modern CEO-driven church,
Brent Davis says that we are
missing the clear teaching of the New Testament:
The essence of the New
Covenant is the priesthood of every believer, not just a few credentialed
leaders who stand between God and the laity. Each person is responsible
to, and dependent on Jesus Christ to carry out the Great Commission and
Great Commandment. The local church is the context in which we live out
the implications of our new found identity, not consume packaged events
and experiences.
The whole article is worth reading if
only as a reminder that the evangelical church has all but forsaken
biblical principles of ecclesiology.
6:01
AM If
you've ever visited Vatican City you've seen the colorful
Swiss
Guard, which just celebrated its 500th anniversary. If only we would
be as diligent to guard and preserve the true teachings of our Pontifex
Maximus, Christ!

Monday,
January 23
7:29
PM We
spent this gloomy and rainy day in the city of South Boston. After lunch
at the local Mexican eatery (2 lunches for the price of 1!) my wife shopped for more eyeglasses and
clothes for Ethiopia while my son and I repaired our pastor's fence,
trimmed his trees, and raked his leaves. Tomorrow I will be on campus for
the new students' reception and on Wednesday morning I will be advising
all of the incoming Advanced Biblical Studies M.Div. majors. On Thursday I
teach my first class of the new semester and I can't wait to see my beginning
Greek students again. I began teaching the one-day-a-week Greek course
several years ago to help out our commuting students, and they in turn
have risen to the occasion. Meeting only once a week has its drawbacks,
but even so, over 1 out of 3 students in that class receive a semester
average of over 100, so it must be working. We will launch
directly into the second half of our grammar, then pause for a review of
the entire indicative mood. The big question, of course, is: Who will receive the first
"110 Award" this semester?
7:05
PM I
am, I confess, not sure whether Becky and I will go and see The End of the Spear,
not because we are disinterested in the story it tells, however. My
father-in-law attended Wheaton College with two of the movie's heroes, and
I have long respected that generation of young collegians who felt called
to the foreign mission field. Mom and Dad's efforts led to the birth of
the
church in southern Ethiopia, and members of that church remember them with
deep gratitude, for they made Christ known in places where otherwise His
name might not have been heard or His salvation appropriated. That
generation of missionaries sacrificed their families, their earthly
comforts, and many of them their health so that the nations might be
redeemed, that relationships might be transformed, and that people
everywhere might find abundant life, the life we believe Christ came to
bring (John 10:10). They stand as a ready reminder to our own generation
that (as Lausanne put it) God "has been calling out from the world a
people for Himself" in order that He might "send His people back into the
world to be His servants and His witnesses, for the extension of His
kingdom." Thus, whether or not one sees The End of the Spear, we
must never forget the contribution to world evangelization the
missionaries of that generation made -- despite (at times) their glaring
weaknesses, their ethnocentricity, their American-style hymns and
catechisms and covenants. Mom and Dad, your eldest daughter gained from
you (and I from her) a realization that the "unfinished task of
evangelism" will only be completed when the church has brought the Good
News to bear on the totally of God's fallen creation. For this we shall be
eternally grateful to you and to God. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
(Below: Betty and Brad Lapsley, missionaries to Ethiopia, 1954-1964.)

8:29
AM
Becky has written the first installment on our Ethiopia trip. It's called
Ethiopia Report (Part 1): Addis.
8:21
AM
Long time DBO reader Buddy Walker sent me this kind email:
AMEN! to your article. I
never cease to be amazed at the lack of Biblical qualifications
possessed by so called "deacons," "elders," and in some cases, pastors
concerning their abilities to teach the Word. One of the
qualifications mentioned is that they should be "apt to teach." In my
opinion, a man shouldn't even be considered for the position of deacon
or elder unless he teaches a Bible study. And "pastors" who read a
couple of verses from the Bible and then go off on a tangent
completely diverse from what they read should be "defrocked." TEACH
THE WORD! That's what Paul told Timothy and I'm sure he got that
instruction from the Lord. Amen?
8:17
AM
Did Jesus have a
Boston accent?
8:15
AM
Textual Criticism students! Check out this introduction to the discipline
over at the
Bible Dudes website.
8:07
AM
Yesterday was Baptist Men's Day. In my opinion, far from being an
encouragement for men to assume their God-given responsibilities in the
local church, the event actually perpetuates the deplorable distinction
between "clergy" and "laity." It has been said that this distinction is
the "great demobilizer of the saints," and I tend to agree. As long as one
man is viewed as "the minister," the other men in the church will
scarcely challenge -- indeed, they may hardly even be aware of -- the
unscriptural attitudes nurtured by the false clergy-laity division. I
would that every Baptist man take earnestly his responsibility as a
minister and reject once and for all the notion that Christian ministry is
the work of a few professionals!
Sunday,
January 22
9:07
PM
Here’s
a question I’ve been asked lately: “Why are you and Becky so involved in
missions?” We see ourselves, quite simply, as stewards, not owners, of all
that we have. We got out of the ownership business a long time ago. Jesus
has become Lord not only of our individual lives but also of our marriage,
our home, and our loyalties, affections, and obedience. We have come to
realize that the call to follow Jesus involves a submission not only to
serve Him but to serve other people as well (2 Cor. 4:5). We view not only
our possessions as His but also the gifts, special abilities, and talents
with which He has endowed us.
At the
same time, the Lord Jesus has given us in recent years a new motivation
for living – to develop all of our resources and skills to the full in
service to Him and to people. In describing what is involved in Christian
stewardship, our Lord said that the foremost quality He expected from His
disciples was faithfulness (Luke 12:42-48). A faithful steward is simply
one who has given up his self-interests and is absorbed with his master’s
purpose, goal, and concerns. He is trustworthy with his master’s goods,
and he uses all of his master’s resources in the most effective way he
knows how in order to achieve his master’s objectives. From the point of
view of his involvement with his fellow man, the Christian steward’s
lifestyle is one of sacrificial living and sacrificial giving in order to
contribute to both evangelism and social relief. He views his faith not
just as a private bank account but as public property that has to be
shared through proclamation and service. The Lord Jesus claims the first
place in his life, and he submits to Him and to His authoritative teaching
in a life of obedience. Do Becky and I still lay up for the future in view
of our anticipated needs? Yes. But we also seek to function as channels
through which the love and provision of God can flow to others. We have
found this love to be needed not only in our culture but supra-culturally
beyond our own borders. We believe that it is the nature of the
Christian’s call to participate in the work of the Spirit in the world,
always having an eye to the needs of others. Becky and I consider
ourselves as a part, not only of our local congregation, but of the
universal church as well. And, though we identify most closely with the
western church, we recognize that no church is self-sufficient. Thus all
true churches – east and west, American and African – should develop with
each other relationships of prayer, fellowship, ministry, and cooperation.
We should freely share our spiritual gifts, our knowledge, our experience,
and our financial resources. Together, we try to do what we can with
whatever resources we have in order to share the love of Jesus with
others, for love is a language that is understood in every nook and cranny
of the world.
Coming tomorrow: Part
one on our trip to Ethiopia.
Saturday,
January 21
9:41
PM
Miscellaneous bedtime musings. What a wonderful day it's been. Nate and I
drove together to Wake Forest and had lunch at a Chinese buffet before
parting ways -- he to go and help his uncle repair his deck, and I to
attend to school business. On the way home we stopped by an old farm in
Carolina to retrieve a 1900s pump organ from a barn. It barely fit into
the back end of the van but we managed to get it home. We arrived after
dark, with Nathan going out to feed the chickens and I giving the cattle,
goats, and horse some extra hay to help stave off the cold. Although we
are only 60 miles from Wake Forest the temperature drops off dramatically
between there and here. I just polished off my nightly bowl of pop corn,
the puppies eagerly helping me, of course, and now it's off to bed in
anticipation of Men's Day at our church tomorrow. Africa is still very
much on our hearts, and we anticipate at least 5 reports. Meanwhile I plan
to ride Traveler just as soon as the ground dries. General Lee once said
that his afternoon ride was essential for the health of both horse and
rider, and I have sorely missed my outings on horseback. I saw plenty of
skinny, starving horses in Ethiopia, but these are literally work horses.
(We've got lots of pictures of our travels, and you are invited to drop in
and see them at any one of our reports in the various area churches.) Only
5 more days until the beginning of the semester, and I sensed a spirit of
excitement on campus today that the Lord will do a great work among us
this year. "Have I not commanded you?
Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the
LORD your God is with you wherever you go" would make a good motto for all
of us (Joshua 1:9).
Have a good
night, wherever you are.
7:44
AM
Over at
Christ, Family and Republic, Ryan Setliff wants to know why Christians
are so complacent about the evils of statism. It's a question I've often
pondered. I think group-think is a big part of it. We go along to get
along. It takes courage to stand up to tyranny, especially when it
masquerades as beneficence. I believe, however, that God is raising up a
new generation of humble Americans who see compassionate conservatism for
what it really is -- socialism -- and are committed to returning, at least
in their own households, to constitutional and biblical values. It's a
long, tough, road, but a rewarding one. Keep on keeping on, Ryan, and so
will the rest of us.
7:38
AM
The unrest in
Ethiopia
continues. Your prayers for this beleaguered nation are appreciated.
7:32
AM
The latest addition to our home page is called
Stonewall Was Right.
7:19
AM
Here are some memorable sayings of Thomas J.
Jackson, whose birthday we celebrate today:
“People who are anxious
to bring on war don’t know what they are bargaining for; they don’t see
all the horrors that must accompany such an event.”
“It is painful enough to
discover with what unconcern they speak of war and threaten it. I have
seen enough of it to make me look upon it as the sum of all evils.”
“I am in favor of making
a thorough trial for peace, and if we fail in this and our state is
invaded, to defend it with terrific resistance.”
“Once you get them
running, you can stay on top of them, and that way a small force can
defeat a large one every time.”
“Always mystify, mislead
and surprise the enemy; and when you strike and overcome him, never let up
in the pursuit. Never fight against heavy odds if you can hurl your own
force on only a part of your enemy and crush it. A small army may thus
destroy a large one, and repeated victory will make you invincible. To
move swiftly, strike vigorously, and secure all fruits of victory is the
secret of a successful war.”
“I had rather lose one man
in marching than five in fighting.”
“I yield to no man in
sympathy for the gallant men under my command; but I am obliged to sweat
them tonight, that I may save their blood tomorrow.”
“This army stays here
until the last wounded man is removed. Before I will leave them to the
enemy, I will lose many more men.”
“So great is my
confidence in General Lee that I am willing to follow him blindfolded.”
“Never take counsel of
your fears.”
“What is life without
honor? Degradation is worse than death.”
“Duty is ours;
consequences are God’s.”
“If you desire to be more
heavenly minded, think more of the things of heaven, and less of the
things of earth.”
“My religious belief teaches
me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my
death. I do not concern myself about that, but to always be ready, no
matter when it may overtake me.”
7:10
AM
Albin Huss of Calvary Baptist Seminary offers a
critique (.pdf) of modern approaches to New Testament textual
criticism. I tend to agree that we have reached a stalemate and that it
will take a new generation of textual scholars to take us beyond the
current impasse. We will be discussing this issue in detail in our course
on textual criticism this semester.
Friday,
January 20
6:11
PM
The weather has been perfect for working outdoors. Below you can see the
progress we're making on the barn extension. We plan to build a hipped
roof on the corner. The farm is doing great, thanks to our son's care. We
currently have 7 fully pregnant goats (thanks to Rusty). They're too heavy
to run so they just sort of waddle at top speed when you call them. Trav
is as eager to be ridden as ever but the ground has no traction due to the
recent rain (and you all know how we like to ride, don't you?).
Well, every doctor needs patience, right?

9:03
AM My
thanks to Elgin Hushbeck for sending me a copy of the revision of his book
Consider Christianity. I joined Dallas Willard in endorsing the
book by writing: "Much is at stake today in defending the Christian faith
against its numerous detractors and in presenting its major truth claims
to open-minded seekers. This timely book shows how Christianity is
'rational, reasoned, and relevant,' and does so without using distracting
jargon. I highly recommend it." It's available at
Energion Publications.
8:55
AM My
wife has gone to the grocery store to stock up our now depleted fridge. I
hope the food prices don't shock her too much. It is very inexpensive to
eat out in Ethiopia, and the dollar has been gradually rising against the
Ethiopia Birr for years. A good meal at an Ethiopian restaurant might cost
30 dollars to feed 11 or 12 people, including soft drinks (these tend to
be the most expensive items on the menu). We rarely had to eat out,
though; our hosts saw to it that we were very well fed. I don't think I
put on any weight this trip, but I didn't loose any either. What really
seems odd is eating with utensils instead of one's fingers. I really miss
the meals in Ethiopia, which are grand social affairs that can stretch on
for an hour or more.
This weekend will be very busy as we
try to complete the new shed and as I try to finish my syllabi. I usually
have these completed and posted to the seminary website long before the
start of the semester. This time I will be getting them done just in time.
If you are a student, thanks for your patience and understanding.
8:16
AM
Becky and I will be reporting on our trip to Ethiopia at the following
churches:
-
Averett Baptist
Church, Averett, VA, Sunday, Feb. 12, 11:00 am
-
Wyliesburg
Baptist Church, Wyliesburg, VA, Sunday, Feb. 19, 11:00 am
-
Union Chapel
Baptist Church, Union Chapel, VA, Wednesday, Mar. 15, 7:00 pm
-
Liberty Baptist
Church, Henderson, NC, Sunday, Mar. 26, 7:00 pm
6:44
AM
The latest addition to our home page is called
The Great Need.
6:34
AM
Just received this
very kind letter:
Mr. Black,
I would like to congratulate you on writing an excellent article about
General Lee. Thank you for not neglecting General Lee's Christianity, as
is so often done.
Also, thank you for pointing out some of the fallacies of
Gettysburg. Too many people think
that movie is historically accurate, much of it is far from being factual.
Respectfully yours,
D. R. P., Jr.
Eden, NC
In ten lifetimes I could never be the
man the General was, but his life is a constant reminder to me of what God can
do through a person who is yielded to Him. I look forward to posting my
thoughts about General Jackson tomorrow.
6:23
AM As
we ate popcorn last night I thought to myself, why is it that Ethiopians
can make it so much better than I can? They have no electricity, no
running water to clean their pots with, no microwave ovens, yet their
"Fandisha" is terrific. Amazing.
Thursday,
January 19
2:24
PM
Becky just talked with our sons Samuel and Bereket in Addis Ababa. Bereket's
surgeon says he well enough to go home. He leaves next Tuesday. He will be returning to live with his mother
Enquahonich and
sister Ashageru
in their hut, so we are buying him a mattress and pillow and a blackboard
so that his sister can teach him the Amharic alphabet. We are also getting
them a much-needed milk cow. Their animals stay with them in their hut at
night. We are so excited about and proud of Bereket. At our last meal
together on Monday night he gave a wonderful testimony of the Lord's love
and grace. He is returning to a very dark place spiritually, but he is
determined to be a witness among the largely Orthodox population of his
village. Please pray for this precious young Christian as he makes this
adjustment, that he would bring great joy to his Savior and Lord. Here's a
picture taken during our visit to Bereket's hut last year (left to right:
Ashageru, Bereket, Becky, Dave, Enquahonich).

8:34
AM
What a wonderful readership I have. I just checked my stats for 2005 and
noticed that DBO had 2,323,544 hits between February 19 (when our new
server and stats counter went up) and December 31. We also were blessed
with100,000 unique visitors. I feel very humbled and honored that so many
of you would take the time to read our musings.
I have many faults, but ingratitude is
not one of them. Thank you.
8:04
AM
Just finished a cup of coffee with my Ethiopian bride in -- where else? --
the Lee Room, enjoying the gorgeous sunrise the Lord Jesus sent us this
morning and reminiscing about our trip. It hardly seems possible that just
this past Sunday we were in our traditional outfits preaching and teaching
in the Muslim town of Alaba. We can't wait to fill you in on the details
of our trip, but first we have to upload the pics to our computer and make
a few important phone calls to Ethiopia to tie up some loose ends. Bereket
is scheduled to return to his village in Gonder within the week and we
need to complete arrangements for that. He is on fire for the Lord like
you can't believe and is growing (spiritually and physically) like a weed.
His eyesight is also gradually improving. Our hearts are so full at this
moment that we can hardly contain ourselves.
Today the plan calls for Becky to unpack us and for me to get started
building a barn extension for one of our hay balers, but sleep may be more
important. Either way, it's
good to be home.
6:56
AM
Today our home page features our essay
How Tall Was Robert E. Lee? Yes,
it's the general's birthday. For younger readers,
Sean has an excellent book idea.
Wednesday,
January 18
9:16
PM
Miscellaneous thoughts at the end of our first day at home:
1) It was good to fellowship again with our friends at Averett Baptist
Church. When we sang "where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there"
I thought of our many friends in Ethiopia who are facing severe
persecution this very night.
2) Walked the farm today and checked up
on all the animals. Held Snowball in my arms for the first time in five
weeks. I'm not ashamed to say that I love my animals. Jesus knows His
sheep by name, and they hear His voice and follow Him.
3) I think the hardest part about
missions is leaving the people you love so much. Our eight Ethiopian sons
and one Ethiopian daughter are missing us sorely tonight, and we them. All
of them are single and some are getting a bit anxious about finding a mate
(one is 37 years old). On our last evening together I gave them four words
to remember: Patience (don't get ahead of the
Lord in this matter; wait on Him and for Him);
Responsibility (focus on what the Lord has called you to do, and He
will bring your spouse into your life at the right time);
Ask (we have not because we ask not; ask and
you shall receive; be specific -- pray for a wife just like the one
described in Titus 2 or Proverbs 31); Yield
(the Lord Jesus will not reveal His will to us if we are not committed to
obeying it; if your calling is to be single, accept it). The acronym
formed by the four words (PRAY) was to remind
them that Becky and I are interceding for them daily.
3:07
PM I
note that Southeastern Seminary bloggers have been very active lately.
Matthew McDill has some wise words on
pastors
as sheep:
No matter who the
leaders of the church are, they are still sheep, not the head
shepherd.
If the leaders do not
lead the church to follow Jesus, then the church should not follow
them. They should also never select leaders that are not good at
following the shepherd, leaders that Christ has not chosen. The goal
always for all leaders and the congregation is to follow Christ.
I spent weeks speaking on this very
topic in Ethiopia, where abusive models of pastoral leadership are rife.
Over at The New Testament Roundtable,
Mark Owens links to his favorite commentaries on
Ephesians. I tend to agree with Jim that Barth's two-volume Anchor
Bible Commentary is still the best. By the way, I studied under Barth at
Basel and can still remember how detailed his lectures were, without using
any notes whatsoever (Barth could barely see even with powerful
eyeglasses). It's that same detail and independence of judgment that I
enjoy so much about his Ephesians commentary.
Finally, Brad Williams had me laughing
and crying with his blog entry on
Greek gurus. Here's his peroration:
So relax O Greek guru. I
love you and appreciate you. Keep parsing those verbs and figuring out
those participles. Just watch the exegetical fallacies; someone will
eventually call you on it. Oh yes, and if you ever start a sentence with,
"What this really means in the Greek is...." you can rest assured
that you are most likely going to say something redundant, silly, and
conceited.
Keep
up the good work, gentlemen.
2:31
PM
They've finally moved in. Congratulations,
Jay and Ruthanne.
2:29
PM
Recent openings in biblical studies include:
Tabor
College (Bible) and
Azusa
Pacific University (Old Testament).
2:15
PM
Darrell Dow has some interesting
recommendations for the New Year, including "Shut
down Dow Blog and pick up a book." Sorry, Darrell, but that's one
suggestion I won't follow. If you haven't read the
Dow Blog in a while, you are
missing some excellent commentary on cultural and political issues.
1:53
PM My
friend Lee Shelton has an excellent post on the gospel according to Robert
Schuller. You can read it
here.
1:36
PM A
former student of mine, now pastoring in North Carolina, sent me this
worthy appeal:
I have a friend in Kentucky, Lonnie Riley who is
director of a ministry in
Lynch, Kentucky known as the Meridzo group (www.meridzo.org
<http://www.meridzo.org/>
). Lonnie has been led to start an equestrian
ministry and is looking for several good usable saddles for horses which
can be donated to the Lord's ministry in Kentucky. His desire is to use
horses for rehabilitation purposes for young children and adults in the
name of Christ. If you know of anyone that can donate any good usable
saddles please have them email me or call me.
If you can
help, write me for contact information.
I am donating an English saddle.

1:15
PM
I've been catching up on the news, having been without any for five weeks.
I see my neoconservative friends are jumping aboard the Alito bandwagon.
Here are some reasons why I'm not joining them:
Thanks to Michael Peroutka for sending
me these links and for all he is doing to inform Americans about the role
of the Constitution (and biblical law) in our society. Meanwhile I've been
reading your letters, including those welcoming us home. Here's one of my
favorites:
Dear Dave and BeckyLynn Black,
Welcome home from
Ethiopia! I just wanted to say thank you for your ministry in Africa,
for the solid teaching on your website, and for your example of farming
alongside your family. I appreciate how everything in your articles
points to proclaiming Jesus as our Lord, and encourages our living in
such a way that demonstrates our allegiance to, and service for, Him. It
is wonderful that the two of you have the desire and ability to travel
and do missions work for part of each year; and it is a blessing to see
how closely you work together as husband and wife. It is a rare
opportunity to be able to work on a farm in Virginia as well as at
Ethiopian villages and universities. Thank you for your testimony, which
you share in your writing and on your blog.
In Christ, R.
Special thanks to
Lady Carmon for
posting our prayer needs while we were gone. Margaret (of
Mostly Harmless) published
an especially touching prayer. You can read it
here
(scroll down). Your prayers were answered in a mighty way, Margaret.
One more thing: I plan to be in my
office later this week, probably on Friday, so if you are a student and
need a signature to get into one of my classes I will sign your forms
then. My syllabi for the spring semester should also be posted by Friday
afternoon. Can't wait to get back into the classroom.
1:02
PM My
son sent out this email while I was gone. I thought it had some good
advice for anyone wanting to taste the difference between store-bought and
free-range eggs.
I'm sorry, but we don't ship
eggs. I would recommend that you try typing in "free range eggs" in you
search on the internet or also check the following sites for local egg
farms:
www.eatwild.com
www.localharvest.org
www.newfarm.org
Each of those sites has a search listing for local farms. I hope you can
find some. Thanks for your interest. If we can help you in any other way
please ask. God Bless. Nathan Black
9:17
AM
We're back. Plopped into bed this morning at 1:00 am after a 34 hour
journey. The Lord put us to sleep with the patter of rain on our roof.
We're weary but happy. Had a wonderful trip in every way. The Lord did
"above and beyond," as usual. You will simply not believe what we
witnessed and experienced. As soon as we unpack and get caught up on
emails I'll begin my reports. You can expect lots of pictures.
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