A-2 PEOPLE FILES
- Jann Aldredge-Clanton - David L Allen - Jason K Allen - Ronald B Allen - Montse Alvarado - Oscar Amaechina - John Amanchukwu - Terry Amann - Femi Aribisala - Joshua Arnold - Rodney Arnold - Bruce Ashford - Mike Augsburger -
jann aldredge-clanton
Jann Aldredge-Clanton (born 1946 in Abilene, Texas) is an ordained Christian minister, author, teacher, and chaplain, who leads workshops and conferences throughout the United States. She has authored nine books, three hymnbooks, a children's musical, and a children's songbook. She has also published many articles in publications such as Christian Feminism Today, The Journal of Pastoral Care, The Christian Ministry, and Patheos. She specializes in feminist theology and inclusive worship resources. Ordained in the Alliance of Baptists, she ministers in ecumenical and interfaith settings. She serves as co-chair of the national ecumenical, multicultural Equity for Women in the Church Community, on the council of Evangelical and Ecumenical Women's Caucus-Christian Feminism Today; adjunct professor at Richland College in Dallas, Texas; and on the Dallas Workers’ Rights Board.
Jonathan Merritt
When Jann Aldredge-Clanton enrolled at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1982, she considered herself a bona fide evangelical Christian with a reverence for the Bible and a love for the church. It soon became clear that neither her Southern Baptist denomination nor the wider evangelical world held much space for her. In her preaching class, male students who objected to women teaching men criticized her sermons. One male student in another class dismissively asked if she came to seminary to get an “M-R-S” degree. Her growing interest in feminist theology made her feel like an outsider among her conservative classmates, who felt such ideas were heretical. As graduation neared in 1985, Aldredge-Clanton was informed by the seminary’s placement office that it only sought to place males as pastors. After her applications to evangelical churches across Texas went unanswered, she took the hint. “It had finally been made clear to me that as an ordained woman and a feminist, I was on the outs as a Southern Baptist and in the evangelical world,” she told me recently, “so I took a job as an associate minister at a United Methodist church instead.” --Jonathan Merritt; Religion News Service; Can evangelicalism survive its white, straight, conservative victory? 5.2.23
Jann Aldredge-Clanton Files
When my own Baptist tradition excluded me, Methodists opened wide their arms to welcome my pastoral ministry. Methodists could apply the liberating message of Jesus to me and other women barred from ministry by traditional biblical misinterpretations, so why would they not apply this same liberating message to LGBTQ people?
Millions of United Methodists worldwide, however, do support full inclusion of LGBTQ people, and many have written powerful statements based on the Bible. Many others continue to take biblical passages out of context, instead of using established hermeneutical principles they apply to other parts of Scripture, to back the “Traditional Plan” the General Conference adopted to reinforce the ban on LBGTQ clergy ordination and same-sex marriage.
--Jann Aldredge Clanton; Baptist News Global; 3.19.19
Millions of United Methodists worldwide, however, do support full inclusion of LGBTQ people, and many have written powerful statements based on the Bible. Many others continue to take biblical passages out of context, instead of using established hermeneutical principles they apply to other parts of Scripture, to back the “Traditional Plan” the General Conference adopted to reinforce the ban on LBGTQ clergy ordination and same-sex marriage.
--Jann Aldredge Clanton; Baptist News Global; 3.19.19
david l allen
David L Allen
The “shepherds” are the spiritual leaders, including the king, the priests, and the prophets.
The shepherd analogy is the pivotal analogy of the Old Testament for God’s relationship to his people. This term is the personal analogy used by Jesus in the Gospels. He said: “I am the good shepherd.” It is the proper analogy used in the epistles to describe the role of the pastor. Jeremiah uses a stunning word in Hebrew to describe these shepherds: ba’ar – “stupid, senseless.” The word is used of an animal that is deficient in moral and spiritual things. It refers to those who do not fear the Lord or desire his wisdom. They are senseless and stupid. Jeremiah would agree with Forrest Gump: “stupid is as stupid does.” How did this deplorable condition occur? They became stupid because they did not darash, “seek” the Lord. This word is the focal point of the verse. It occurs 165 times in the OT, mostly in the sense of seeking after the Lord. It means “to seek with diligence.” Three primary aspects are observed in the various contextual uses of this word.
There is the volitional aspect. Ezra 7:10 – “Ezra determined in his heart to seek the law of the Lord….” There is the emotional aspect. Psalm 119:10: “with all my heart I have sought you.” There is the intellectual aspect. Isaiah 34:16 – “Seek from the book of the Lord.” Darash denotes the element of “research, investigation, study.” Two consequences follow from not “seeking” the Lord. First, the shepherds shall not sachal – “prosper.” This word denotes the process of thinking through a complex arrangement of thoughts resulting in wise action and use of practical common sense. The end result: success. But in Jeremiah 10:21, the shepherds have no success. In fact, all their flocks will be putz (poots) – “scattered,” a favorite word of Jeremiah.
---David Allen; Stupid Shepherds and Scattered Sheep 8.21.19
The shepherd analogy is the pivotal analogy of the Old Testament for God’s relationship to his people. This term is the personal analogy used by Jesus in the Gospels. He said: “I am the good shepherd.” It is the proper analogy used in the epistles to describe the role of the pastor. Jeremiah uses a stunning word in Hebrew to describe these shepherds: ba’ar – “stupid, senseless.” The word is used of an animal that is deficient in moral and spiritual things. It refers to those who do not fear the Lord or desire his wisdom. They are senseless and stupid. Jeremiah would agree with Forrest Gump: “stupid is as stupid does.” How did this deplorable condition occur? They became stupid because they did not darash, “seek” the Lord. This word is the focal point of the verse. It occurs 165 times in the OT, mostly in the sense of seeking after the Lord. It means “to seek with diligence.” Three primary aspects are observed in the various contextual uses of this word.
There is the volitional aspect. Ezra 7:10 – “Ezra determined in his heart to seek the law of the Lord….” There is the emotional aspect. Psalm 119:10: “with all my heart I have sought you.” There is the intellectual aspect. Isaiah 34:16 – “Seek from the book of the Lord.” Darash denotes the element of “research, investigation, study.” Two consequences follow from not “seeking” the Lord. First, the shepherds shall not sachal – “prosper.” This word denotes the process of thinking through a complex arrangement of thoughts resulting in wise action and use of practical common sense. The end result: success. But in Jeremiah 10:21, the shepherds have no success. In fact, all their flocks will be putz (poots) – “scattered,” a favorite word of Jeremiah.
---David Allen; Stupid Shepherds and Scattered Sheep 8.21.19
jason k allen
Dr. Jason K. Allen serves as the fifth president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Kansas City, Mo. Dr. Allen also serves the institution in the classroom, as a professor for preaching and pastoral ministry. He is the author of two books, The SBC & the 21st Century (B&H Publishing) and Discerning Your Call to Ministry (Moody Publishing). Dr. Allen regularly posts essays on his website, jasonkallen.com, and hosts a weekly podcast, “Preaching & Preachers.” Before coming to Midwestern Seminary, Dr. Allen served as a pastor, and as a senior administrator at Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky.
Jason K Allen
“With Dr. Charles Stanley’s passing Southern Baptists have lost one our leading figures of the past half century. Dr. Stanley stepped forward as a candidate for the presidency of the Southern Baptist Convention at a most pivotal time in the life and history of our denomination. His election to that post in 1984 was a decisive turning point, moving the SBC further down the road of theological recovery. More broadly, he continued to serve Southern Baptists from the pulpit of First Baptist Church of Atlanta and through his In Touch ministries, whose viewership spanned the globe. For these reasons and more, multitudes of Southern Baptists mourn Dr. Stanley’s passing.” --Jason K. Allen, president, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary 4.18.23
montse alvarado
Montserrat Alvarado was born in Mexico City, Mexico and great up in Miami, Fl. She has worked at the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty since 2009 and currently serves as its VP & Executive Director. She was profiled by the Wall Street Journal’s Weekend Edition with the following introduction: “a defender of all religion, on the front lines of America’s culture wars.” Montse serves on the board of the Patients Rights Action Fund– the leading advocate against the legalization of assisted suicide, and served on the Montgomery County Commission for Women in Maryland. She is a lay consultant to the USCCB’s Religious Liberty Committee and although not attorney, she “plays one on TV” advocating for Becket clients on major television and radio networks. She has a B.A. from Florida International University and a Master’s from George Washington University.
Jan 23, 2023: Catholic News Agency: Montse Alvarado Named President and COO of EWTN News
Mark Rienzi, president of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, praised Alvarado as “an essential part of Becket’s growth and success for more than a decade.” Said Rienzi, “EWTN is welcoming a proven executive known for team-building impact and dedication to mission.”
Mark Rienzi, president of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, praised Alvarado as “an essential part of Becket’s growth and success for more than a decade.” Said Rienzi, “EWTN is welcoming a proven executive known for team-building impact and dedication to mission.”
March 3, 2021: National Catholic Register: EWTN News to Launch Weekly Discussion Show
On Friday, EWTN News will launch a new weekly discussion show EWTN News In Depth, covering the intersection of faith and current events. Montserrat “Montse” Alvarado, a Hispanic Catholic who also serves as Vice President and Executive Director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, will be hosting the hour-long discussion program.
On Friday, EWTN News will launch a new weekly discussion show EWTN News In Depth, covering the intersection of faith and current events. Montserrat “Montse” Alvarado, a Hispanic Catholic who also serves as Vice President and Executive Director of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, will be hosting the hour-long discussion program.
ronald b Allen
Ronald B Allen
"Lamentations is one of the most highly crafted of all biblical books, the Hebrew poetry developed in a complex acrostic pattern. It seems as though the very crafting of the poem was an outworking of his [Jeremiah's] grief, as a grieving mother might fashion a collage of pictures of her deceased child."
--Ronald B. Allen, A Shelter in the Fury, p. 72
oscar amaechina
Oscar Amaechina is the president of Afri-Mission and Evangelism Network, Abuja, Nigeria. He has directed and supervised several research projects aimed at producing missiological strategies to enhance the work of missions in Nigeria and beyond. He has trained and graduated many missionaries in Afri-Mission Institute Of Missionary Studies.
He is a Teacher and Evangelist by calling. Oscar is married to Josephine, also a minister of the gospel and co-worker in the missionary mandate. He is the Author of the book The Mystery Of The Cross Revealed. He is an Op-ed contributor with Christian Post.
Oscar Amaechina
The Apostle Paul was emphatic when he warned the Philippian Church to be careful of this group of people. "For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ"(Philippians 3:18). They pretend to be godly but secretly work against the Gospel. They oppress and secretly persecute those who love and preach the cross.
Jesus also warned His disciples to be careful of those who are demonic but parade themselves as angels of light: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Mathew 7:15). In our time, there are similar false prophets, and their mode of operation has never changed.
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves" (2 Peter 2:1). There are now false teachers whose mandate is to introduce and teach errors that will take Christ out of the center of Christianity and place Him in the margin or remove Him altogether. --Oscar Amaechina; Christian Post: Beware of false prophets and false brethren 2.24.22
Jesus also warned His disciples to be careful of those who are demonic but parade themselves as angels of light: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Mathew 7:15). In our time, there are similar false prophets, and their mode of operation has never changed.
"But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them — bringing swift destruction on themselves" (2 Peter 2:1). There are now false teachers whose mandate is to introduce and teach errors that will take Christ out of the center of Christianity and place Him in the margin or remove Him altogether. --Oscar Amaechina; Christian Post: Beware of false prophets and false brethren 2.24.22
Oscar Amaechina Files
In 2 Corinthians 11:26, Paul mentions false brethren in the list of dangers he faced on his missionary journeys. There are many of us who have escaped their manipulations, but the dangers they pose to the faiths of many are a daily phenomenon. I personally have suffered so much in the hands of false brethren who claim to be custodians of the Gospel. I have been wounded so severally that sometimes I resort to solitude and even contemplate quitting my ministry. Many in the Church have been deceived because they’ve been often taught that everyone in the visible Church is a true believer. "One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them" (Job 1:6). Sadly, the devil oftentimes attends church services. Every believer should ask the Holy Spirit for the gift of discernment.
--Oscar Amaechina; president of Afri-Mission and Evangelism Network, Abuja, Nigeria. 2.24.22
--Oscar Amaechina; president of Afri-Mission and Evangelism Network, Abuja, Nigeria. 2.24.22
Oscar Amaechina
The Apostle Paul was emphatic when he warned the Philippian Church to be careful of this group of people. "For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ"(Philippians 3:18). They pretend to be godly but secretly work against the Gospel. They oppress and secretly persecute those who love and preach the cross. Jesus also warned His disciples to be careful of those who are demonic but parade themselves as angels of light: "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves" (Matthew 7:15). In our time, there are similar false prophets, and their mode of operation has never changed. --Oscar Amaechina; Christian Post; 2.24.22
john amanchukwu
John Kanayochukwu Amanchukwu is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where he played football under Coach Chuck Amato. John received a master’s degree from Liberty University in Christian Ministry. He has been a youth pastor for fifteen years. Over the past four years, John has led a 40-week prayer walk for Love Life at one of the busiest abortion clinics in the Southeast. His wife is Crystal and they have three children
John Kanayochukwu Amanchukwu is a graduate of North Carolina State University, where he played football under Coach Chuck Amato. John received a master’s degree from Liberty University in Christian Ministry. He has been a youth pastor for fifteen years. Over the past four years, John has led a 40-week prayer walk for Love Life at one of the busiest abortion clinics in the Southeast. His wife is Crystal and they have three children
June 12, 2023: Word & Way: With Turning Point Faith, Pastors Use Politics as a Church-Growth Strategy
Kirk followed up by saying that TPUSA could connect them with speakers for their church gatherings such as the Rev. John Amanchukwu, a young adult pastor at Upper Room Church of God in Christ in North Carolina and outspoken opponent of abortion who has emerged as a conservative Black evangelical voice. Amanchukwu told RNS that as he and his senior pastor grew more visible since 2020, attendance at their church “exploded,” taking in people who “transitioned from other ministries that went woke.”
Kirk followed up by saying that TPUSA could connect them with speakers for their church gatherings such as the Rev. John Amanchukwu, a young adult pastor at Upper Room Church of God in Christ in North Carolina and outspoken opponent of abortion who has emerged as a conservative Black evangelical voice. Amanchukwu told RNS that as he and his senior pastor grew more visible since 2020, attendance at their church “exploded,” taking in people who “transitioned from other ministries that went woke.”
terry amann
Pastor Terry Amann has pastored churches in New Jersey and Iowa for almost 27 years. Currently he is pastor at Church of the Way in Des Moines, Iowa. In addition to church ministry, he has served as a chaplain in prison, county jails, and juvenile detention centers for 10 years in Illinois and Iowa.
Terry Amann
“If he can extract himself from the legal morass that he's in, he'll be a force to be reckoned with. But it just remains to be seen how that's all going to go.............I would say they've learned from the first and second go-around. I'd say they're very highly organized and structured, and I think they'll be impressive.” --Pastor Terry Amann on Donald Trump & his campaign in Iowa 7.7.23
April 12, 2023: Bharat Times: Trump and Iowa evangelicals: A bond that is hard to break
“I believe, and I think many evangelical Christians understand, politics at that level is a blood sport. Donald Trump is fighting. That’s why he worked,” said Rev. Terry Amann of suburban Des Moines. “So, it’s not our role to judge him.”
“I believe, and I think many evangelical Christians understand, politics at that level is a blood sport. Donald Trump is fighting. That’s why he worked,” said Rev. Terry Amann of suburban Des Moines. “So, it’s not our role to judge him.”
femi aribisala |
Dr. Femi Aribisala was born on April 12 1952 in Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria. He is from Ibadan, Oyo State, He went to Government College, Ibadan from 1964-1968; St. George’s English School, La Storta, Rome, Italy from 1969-1972; and the Institut Internationale d’Études Francaises, Rambouillet, France from 1971-1972. He has a B.A. in History and Politics from University of Warwick, Coventry, England (1972-1975); M.A. in International Relations from School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, Washington D.C., United States (1975-1977); and a Ph.D. in International Relations from Oxford University, Oxford, England (1978-1981).
Femi Aribisala Files
Jesus says to His disciples: “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” (John 15:16).
We blundered at the first birth, presuming we were born to pursue our own dreams, have illustrious careers, make a lot of money, and make a name for ourselves. But now our Maker leaves nothing to conjecture. We are born again (a second time) to produce the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:11).
Peter writes our curriculum vitae. He says to the believer: “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, (God’s) own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9).
How do we proclaim the praises of God? Is it by what we have? Certainly not! Jesus says: “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15). We proclaim God’s praises by what we are. God says: I am what I am.” (Exodus 3:14). He does not say: “I am what I have.”
--Femi Aribisala
We blundered at the first birth, presuming we were born to pursue our own dreams, have illustrious careers, make a lot of money, and make a name for ourselves. But now our Maker leaves nothing to conjecture. We are born again (a second time) to produce the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:11).
Peter writes our curriculum vitae. He says to the believer: “You are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, (God’s) own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9).
How do we proclaim the praises of God? Is it by what we have? Certainly not! Jesus says: “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15). We proclaim God’s praises by what we are. God says: I am what I am.” (Exodus 3:14). He does not say: “I am what I have.”
--Femi Aribisala
joshua arnold
Joshua Arnold
Ancient Israel had no legislature, as God had already given them a law. Nor were there executive officials, except when God called one for a specific purpose. Thus, ancient Israel’s government consisted primarily of judges — appointed by the people (Deuteronomy 16:18), raised up by God (Judges 2:16), or anointed as priest (Deuteronomy 19:17) or king (2 Samuel 8:15) — resolving disputes between private parties. In addition to judges, America has law enforcement officers and public prosecutors who are also charged with ensuring the law is justly enforced. So, while America is not under the Mosaic law, its basic principles of justice apply even more broadly in the American system.
The question is, what should the righteous do when “justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away,” when “truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14)? We should pray. That is, we should appeal from human injustice to the divine Judge.
What should we pray for? Scripture authorizes at least three pleas (seek earnestly, and you may find others) to offer up as we lament the prevalence of injustice. First, we should pray that justice officials would be saved, or at least that they would not molest Christians. Paul exhorts Timothy to pray “for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:2-4). --Joshua Arnold; Christian Post; Justice must be impartial: Biden vs. Trump treatment 8.8.23
The question is, what should the righteous do when “justice is turned back, and righteousness stands far away,” when “truth has stumbled in the public squares, and uprightness cannot enter” (Isaiah 59:14)? We should pray. That is, we should appeal from human injustice to the divine Judge.
What should we pray for? Scripture authorizes at least three pleas (seek earnestly, and you may find others) to offer up as we lament the prevalence of injustice. First, we should pray that justice officials would be saved, or at least that they would not molest Christians. Paul exhorts Timothy to pray “for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:2-4). --Joshua Arnold; Christian Post; Justice must be impartial: Biden vs. Trump treatment 8.8.23
RODNEY ARNOLD
July 14, 2023: Standard Newswire: Missionary Church USA Elects New, Youngest President
The Missionary Church USA elected its seventh president this week, marking a new era for the evangelical denomination based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Rev. Rodney Arnold of Knoxville, Tennessee was elected by delegates representing churches from across the country at the biannual SHIFT National Conference held in Orlando, Florida. At 40 years old, Rev. Arnold becomes the youngest president ever chosen by the denomination and the first from a southern state.
The Missionary Church USA elected its seventh president this week, marking a new era for the evangelical denomination based in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Rev. Rodney Arnold of Knoxville, Tennessee was elected by delegates representing churches from across the country at the biannual SHIFT National Conference held in Orlando, Florida. At 40 years old, Rev. Arnold becomes the youngest president ever chosen by the denomination and the first from a southern state.
bruce ashford
Bruce Ashford is a book writer, speaker, columnist, and speech writer. He is the author or co-author of six trade books, including Letters to an American Christian, How To Survive an Election Season, Every Square Inch: An Introduction to Cultural Engagement for Christians, and One Nation Under God: A Christian Hope for American Politics. He is the author of three academic books: The Doctrine of Creation, The Gospel of Our King, and Theology & Practice of Mission. Ashford is a Fellow in Public Theology at the Kirby Laing Institute for Christian Ethics (Cambridge, UK), a participant in the Dulles Colloquium of the Institute on Religion & Public Life, and a trustee at the Institute for Religion & Democracy.
Mar 13, 2023: Wartburg Watch: Bruce Ashford’s Spectacular Fall From Grace
Bruce Ashford first appeared on the radar of The Wartburg Watch in the summer of 2021. As I recall, one of our “field agents” notified us of Ashford’s somewhat discrete resignation from his Provost position at SEBTS in July 2020. The email circulated through employees of SEBTS stated that Ashford would remain with the seminary, “returning full-time to the classroom.”
Bruce Ashford first appeared on the radar of The Wartburg Watch in the summer of 2021. As I recall, one of our “field agents” notified us of Ashford’s somewhat discrete resignation from his Provost position at SEBTS in July 2020. The email circulated through employees of SEBTS stated that Ashford would remain with the seminary, “returning full-time to the classroom.”
Bruce Ashford Files
The overall result of God’s monologue is to reveal that Job has obscured God’s counsel with insufficient knowledge. He spoke too quickly and firmly in light of his own inability to comprehend God’s being and ways. Job’s suffering and his subsequent encounter with God caused him to grow in his understanding of God and of himself.
Although God didn’t give Job an answer as to why he suffered, he did give Job a fuller understanding of God, himself, and the world around him. In return, Job became willing to accept that he would never understand why God allowed him to suffer but that he believed that God can work in and through his suffering to accomplish his mysterious purposes.
In conclusion, Job recognizes his finitude and fallenness: “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes (42:6).” The Hebrew word for “repent” could also be translated as “loathe.” It seems the point of Job’s concluding declaration is he has come to recognize his smallness and the limits of his own wisdom. And he has come to embrace God’s greatness and the mysterious nature of God’s wisdom and ways. So, when we feel like yelling at God, as Job felt, we are well-served to pair our yelling with the remembrance that God’s wisdom is higher than our wisdom, his ways higher than ours. -Bruce Ashford; 4.18.22
Although God didn’t give Job an answer as to why he suffered, he did give Job a fuller understanding of God, himself, and the world around him. In return, Job became willing to accept that he would never understand why God allowed him to suffer but that he believed that God can work in and through his suffering to accomplish his mysterious purposes.
In conclusion, Job recognizes his finitude and fallenness: “Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes (42:6).” The Hebrew word for “repent” could also be translated as “loathe.” It seems the point of Job’s concluding declaration is he has come to recognize his smallness and the limits of his own wisdom. And he has come to embrace God’s greatness and the mysterious nature of God’s wisdom and ways. So, when we feel like yelling at God, as Job felt, we are well-served to pair our yelling with the remembrance that God’s wisdom is higher than our wisdom, his ways higher than ours. -Bruce Ashford; 4.18.22
Bruce Ashford Files
In light of the degraded nature of our nation’s public discourse, therefore, evangelical Christians must model the “more excellent way” to which Paul refers (1 Cor. 12:31). This more excellent way goes beyond the mere intellectual evaluation of political ideologies and policies. It also includes the practice of convictional civility.
Instead of degrading the people on the other side of the political aisle by demonizing them, questioning their motives, and caricaturing their arguments, the Bible instructs us to speak the truth in a way that communicates Christian concern and respect. We should represent our debate partners accurately, not misrepresent them. We should recognize the good in their lives and their arguments, not glorify ourselves and demonize them. In other words, we must cultivate a public demeanor that is worthy of the Lord whose name we carry (2 Cor. 4:10).
If the gospel message is true—and if it truly transforms—then gospel-minded Christians should expect to be radically different in every arena. As those convinced of the gospel’s truth, it is right and proper for us to defend it in public. However, the manner in which we defend it can either defraud or reflect its truth. Truth without grace makes us political bullies and jerks. Grace without truth makes us political non-entities and wimps.
But Jesus’s powerful combination of truth and grace exemplifies for us the more excellent way of convictional civility. With confidence, then, we must stand firm in our convictions—but do so winsomely in ways that honor the Christ whose gospel we cherish.
-Bruce Ashford; Gospel Coalition; How the Gospel Should Shape Our Political Posture 6.1.21
Instead of degrading the people on the other side of the political aisle by demonizing them, questioning their motives, and caricaturing their arguments, the Bible instructs us to speak the truth in a way that communicates Christian concern and respect. We should represent our debate partners accurately, not misrepresent them. We should recognize the good in their lives and their arguments, not glorify ourselves and demonize them. In other words, we must cultivate a public demeanor that is worthy of the Lord whose name we carry (2 Cor. 4:10).
If the gospel message is true—and if it truly transforms—then gospel-minded Christians should expect to be radically different in every arena. As those convinced of the gospel’s truth, it is right and proper for us to defend it in public. However, the manner in which we defend it can either defraud or reflect its truth. Truth without grace makes us political bullies and jerks. Grace without truth makes us political non-entities and wimps.
But Jesus’s powerful combination of truth and grace exemplifies for us the more excellent way of convictional civility. With confidence, then, we must stand firm in our convictions—but do so winsomely in ways that honor the Christ whose gospel we cherish.
-Bruce Ashford; Gospel Coalition; How the Gospel Should Shape Our Political Posture 6.1.21
Bruce Ashford Files
The biblical writer introduces Job as a wealthy and powerful Gentile living far away from the promised land, yet one who “feared God and shunned evil” (1:1). When Scripture speaks of “fearing” God, it is referring essentially to living wisely under God’s reign. Job is also described as “the greatest man among all the people of the East” (1:3).
The fact of Job’s wealth and power is significant to note. The Bible says of wealthy people that it is harder for them to genuinely trust God than it is for a camel to crawl through the eye of the needle. In other words, there is something about affluence that tends to corrupt a man. Yet, the writer of Job makes clear that Job did not fit the stereotype. Job genuinely trusted God, which is a remarkable characteristic.. -Bruce Ashford; 4.10.22
The fact of Job’s wealth and power is significant to note. The Bible says of wealthy people that it is harder for them to genuinely trust God than it is for a camel to crawl through the eye of the needle. In other words, there is something about affluence that tends to corrupt a man. Yet, the writer of Job makes clear that Job did not fit the stereotype. Job genuinely trusted God, which is a remarkable characteristic.. -Bruce Ashford; 4.10.22
MIKE AUGSBURGER
Pastor Mike Augsburger; Soteria Church; Des Moines, IA
July 13, 2023: Politico: DeSantis is hoping Iowa evangelicals can make his campaign born again
“My pulse on Christian evangelical voters is that they’re split somewhere between Trump and DeSantis, and in my circles, people are leaning more toward DeSantis because he seems to be more authentically conservative,” said Mike Augsburger, lead pastor of Soteria in Des Moines. “If DeSantis can get his message out there, I think he can be a draw for evangelical voters.”
“My pulse on Christian evangelical voters is that they’re split somewhere between Trump and DeSantis, and in my circles, people are leaning more toward DeSantis because he seems to be more authentically conservative,” said Mike Augsburger, lead pastor of Soteria in Des Moines. “If DeSantis can get his message out there, I think he can be a draw for evangelical voters.”