May 18, 2015
Elect exiles. Scattered across the Roman provinces of modern Turkey, these Christians are called “exiles” due to their social dislocation within a culture hostile to their new way of life. Though “exiles,” they are nevertheless elect. But for what or to what are they elected? What does this election mean? In part, it means they […]
1 Comment | Biblical Texts | Tagged: 1 Peter, 1 Peter 1:3-5, Arminian, Calvinist, Doxology, Eschatology, Eschaton, Faith, Inheritance, Regeneration | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
May 21, 2012
May 21 is a dark day in my own history. Joshua died eleven years ago today at the age of sixteen. I offer this chapter out of my ebook on The Shack and spiritual recovery in his honor. ******** Oh, the depths of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, […]
8 Comments | Pastoral Care, Personal, Theology | Tagged: Evil, Faith, God, Suffering, Theodicy, Trust | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
February 17, 2012
Moving from a glorious mountain-top ecstasy to the despairing valley of his disciples’ faithlessness, Jesus experiences a range of emotions. To experience bodily transfiguration, conversation with Elijah and Moses, and hear the voice of his delighted Father was a great delight (Mark 9:2-8), but to come down the mountain to hear his disciples arguing with […]
No Comments » | Theology | Tagged: Bible-Mark, Demon, Faith, Gospel of Mark, Kingdom of God, Mark 9:14-29, Prayer | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
December 3, 2011
Since the publication of William Young’s book The Shack in the light of my own personal journey into the world of spiritual recovery (which I experienced in 2008). I found much in Young’s novel that paralleled my own experience. It is now available on Amazon entitled: Meeting God at the Shack: A Journey into Spiritual Recovery. For […]
3 Comments | Pastoral Care, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged: Addictions, Faith, Providence, Recovery, Shack, Spiritual Recovery, Suffering, Trinity, William P. Young, Workaholism | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
March 17, 2010
Text: Philippians 3:4-14 That can’t be a commendable hunger, can it? To hunger for power. It depends on what kind of power we are talking about. To hunger for Caesar’s power (or wealth or status) is ungodly, but to hunger for the power to become like Jesus is something different. This is not a hunger […]
No Comments » | Biblical Texts, Theology | Tagged: Bible-Philippians, Christ, Christology, Faith, Justification, Lent, Righteousness, Sanctification | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks
June 16, 2009
[Note: I am attempting to keep these SBD installments under 2000 words each, but that is–of course–quite inadequate for the topics covered. Consequently, these contributions are more programmatic than they are explanatory or defenses of the positions stated. You may access the whole series at my Serial page.] The Father elects, redeems and saves in […]
8 Comments | Theology | Tagged: communal, Community, Declarative, Discipleship, Ecclesiology, Faith, Forgiveness, Glorification, Grace, individualism, Justification, Kingdom of God, Participatory, Salvation, Sanctification, Soteriology', Transformation, Trinity, Works | Permalink
Posted by John Mark Hicks