Category: Reflection
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How to Treat a New (Young) Pastor
By Matt Mouser The following thoughts will come across more as a letter of appreciation than a theological essay regarding doctrine. Despite that fact, my hope is that the biblical truths found below will encourage church members to lift up the men that God has placed within their congregations to serve alongside them. In November…
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Hermeneutics and Faithful Interpretation
By: Dustin Walters hûr-mə-nōōʹtiks: the science of the methods of exegesis Faithful interpretation is inseparable from good hermeneutics. Expressed another way, one cannot interpret a text faithfully without considering the process involved. We do hermeneutics whether we realize it or not. We engage in the hermeneutic process subconsciously, yet to become better interpreters of any…
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A Reflection on the Historical Adam-Part 2
by: Dustin Walters In the first post on the historical Adam, I argued for belief in the historic Adam as revealed in the Genesis narrative. In this post, I want to present four objections to the historic Adam and conclude with further support for belief in the historic Adam. As is the case with part…
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A Reflection on the Historical Adam-Part 1
By: Dustin Walters A rejection of the historical Adam as mentioned in Genesis 1-3 undermines biblical authority and reflects a hermeneutic of suspicion rather than a hermeneutic of trust in the Bible. Just as there was a quest for the “historical Jesus”, there have been quests for the historical Adam. William VanDoodwaard wrote, “This quest…
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Grafted In: Abrahamic Faith and New Covenant Believers
Various covenants appear throughout the biblical narrative, yet one of the most foundational is the covenant God makes with Abraham. The significance of the Abrahamic covenant will become more apparent as we journey together in this post. My goal is to reflect on the Abrahamic covenant and the way Christians are grafted into the Abrahamic…
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The Joy of Christmas
By: Dustin Walters Advent brings great joy to the Christian and the church. This is the season in which we reflect on the Messiah’s first appearance and eagerly anticipate his return. In this post, we will reflect on the joy of Advent. Just like the other themes of hope, faith, love, and peace, joy is…
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Celebrating Advent
By Dustin Walters Advent is my favorite time of the year in the Christian calendar. Advent is the season in the Christian calendar in which believers celebrate the Messiah’s first coming and eagerly anticipate his second coming. It is unfortunate that many believers have never heard the term advent in the local church. I deeply…
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Where Do We Go from Here? A Reflection on the State of the Church
By Dustin Walters We recently discussed the state of the church on the podcast. If you have not done so already, give this brief episode a listen, which is a more developed version of what Ben and I discussed. It is no secret that baptisms are declining, and churches seem to be closing at an…
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Welcome to the Family: An Essay on Baptism as Obedience and Acceptance
By: Dustin Walters I remember it like it was yesterday. On a Sunday afternoon in March of 2005, I was baptized by immersion and welcomed into the family of God as a twelve year old. I had professed faith in Christ a few months earlier and, after completing the pastor’s discipleship course, “The ABCs of…
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Blinded and Deceived: A Theological Reflection on Why Unbelievers See the World Differently
A believing friend recently expressed confusion over why a family member believes and affirms an ideology troubling her. This friend stated how a family member affirmed liberal ideologies which troubled her greatly, and then she wondered why her own family members are so different from her in religious and political orientation. I suspect my friend…
Ordinary Pastors Connecting Theological Truths to Everyday Believers 