The Coronavirus is on everyone's mind and in the bodies of no less than 536,374 people. This morning I have at least 6079 reasons to grieve the loss of life in Italy. Coronavirus Statistics As of the writing of this article, there are 536,374 confirmed Coronavirus cases, worldwide. Of those, 80,589 are in Italy. Sadly, 8,215 Italians have died. That's 1/3 of all the current … [Read more...]
The Errant Theology of “You’re Pushing People Away from Jesus”
A common objection to most forms of public/street evangelism, especially open-air preaching--an objection made by professing Christians--is the notion of "pushing people away from Jesus." The argument goes like this: "If you do [blank], then unbelievers will be pushed away from Jesus." As I will show in this article, there is no biblical support for this claim. A Request from … [Read more...]
God’s Word: More Precious than Gold and Sweeter than Honey
King David, the psalmist, loved God's Word. He likened Scripture to fine gold and sweet honey. In Psalm 19, he uses six terms, descriptions, and effects to make his point. In doing so, David produced one of the most beautiful stanzas ever written about the inerrant, infallible, God-breathed Scriptures. The Text "The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the … [Read more...]
Wisdom of Dead Guys: Biting and Devouring One Another
My hope is that "Wisdom of Dead Guys" will be a reoccurring feature on this blog. This article represents the launch of this blog feature. The Theology of Dead Guys Doesn't Change Jeff Pollard is the pastor of Mount Zion Bible Church in Pensacola, FL. In addition to overseeing the various ministries of the church, Pastor Jeff also oversees Chapel Library. I was introduced … [Read more...]
Year Four of Morning Devotions: Read the Bible with Me in 2020
Morning Devotions: How It Started On January 1, 2017, I determined to read the entire Bible before the year's end. I also wanted to encourage others to do the same. And that's how "Morning Devotions" was born. This week participants and I completed our third year and our third reading of the Bible. Thus far we have read through the ESV (2017), NASB (2018), and CSB (2019) … [Read more...]
Apologetics: I Crushed His Worldview; So What?
Presuppositional apologetics is a powerful weapon in the arsenal of the street evangelist. It isn't difficult to crush a person's godless worldview. But if that is all that is accomplished, so what? Crosswalking at Locust and Harrison The sun was out, but the temperature was only in the low 40's. The wind chill dropped the temperature into the 30's. It's late in the year, so … [Read more...]
Everyday Exhortations: Trusting God in Affliction
Psalm 56 is a psalm of David, which he wrote for one of his three choir directors. He wrote it to the tune of another song by the title “A Silent Dove Far Away.” David refers to this psalm as a “Miktam.” There are six “Miktams” in the psalms—Psalm 16, and Psalms 56-60. While we don’t know for certain what a Miktam actually is, some speculate that the term is related to the … [Read more...]