John Mark Hicks

“El Espíritu del Señor está sobre mí, porque me ha ungido para dar buenas nuevas a los pobres. Me ha enviado a proclamar libertad a los cautivos y vista a los ciegos, a poner en libertad a los oprimidos, a proclamar el año de gracia del Señor” (Lucas 4:18-19). “Hoy mismo se ha cumplido la […]

“…Galilea de los gentiles: el pueblo que vivía en tinieblas vio una gran luz; a los que vivían en sombra de muerte, una luz les resplandeció” (Mateo 4:15d-16). “…Jesús comenzó a predicar: “Arrepiéntanse, porque el reino de los cielos está cerca” (Mateo 4:17). ¿“Galilea de los gentiles”? ¿No es eso parte de la tierra prometida? […]

Season 1, Episode 5. Available on Podcast here. Available on Vimeo here. Stan Wilson, Haley Villacorta, David Villacorta, and I have begun a series of podcasts/videos about “The Chosen” produced and directed by Dallas Jenkins. These conversations seek to explore one dimension of “The Chosen” per episode. This week we focus on Mary, the Wedding […]

At least two theological themes emerge from this pericope. On the one hand, the kingdom of God breaks into the life of a woman who had been bound by her disability for eighteen years. She is healed and experiences redemption. On the other hand, opposition to the kingdom of God arises in response to her […]

This week I am participating in a wonderful conference on preaching the paradigmatic texts of Scripture. The focus of this particular conference is creation.  Walter Brueggemann is the featured speaker and his presentation last night on Psalm 104 was excellent. Other speakers include Ken Durham, John York, David Fleer and Rhonda Lowry. Everyone has done […]

[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.] “Church”  is not necessarily a popular word […]

Continuing my reading of Lipscomb in the first decades of the 20th century, I have lifted a few more what I regard as illuminating comments by the 80 year old editor of the Gospel Advocate. Publish Both Sides for Free Discussion. Lipscomb believed that fair, thorough and open discussion of a biblical issue was the […]

The octogenarian David Lipscomb, knowing his last years were upon him, intentionally broached subjects and pressed points that he hoped would shape the future of the church. Here are few examples. Debates Need to End. Lipscomb thought that debates between “Baptists and disciples” needed to change or cease. They needed to stress the commonalities more […]

One formerly unchurched person recently told me about his first experience with the Lord’s supper. He had grown up in the inner city where a gang was his family. Befriended by “good Samaritans” in a time of need, he attended “church” for the first time and sat on the second row with his new friend. […]

They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer (Acts 2:42, NASV) Borrowing from Brother Lawrence, I have been using the language of “practicing the kingdom of God” in recent years. I don’t mean that as an alternative to or a substitute for Brother […]