November 3, 2022
This is a lecture I delivered at Great Lakes Christian College on October 21, 2022. Click here for the link. The lecture begins about minute 40. Acts 2:42: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and the fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the prayers.”
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Biblical Texts, Stone-Campbell | Tagged: Acts 2:42, Apostles' Teaching, Breaking Bread, Ecclesiology, Fellowship, Poor, Prayer, Restorationism |
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Posted by John Mark Hicks
April 16, 2022
Paul began his “foolish” boasting by identifying how, as a minister of Christ, he endured hardships, dangers, threats, and loss for the sake of the ministry of reconciliation. In effect, he boasted in his endurance, and through this endurance he suffered “more” (hyper) than the “super (hyper) apostles.” Instead of listing his credentials, he preferred […]
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Biblical Texts | Tagged: 2 Corinthians 11:30-12:10, Grace, Power, Prayer, revelations, strength, Suffering, thorn in the flesh, Visions, weakness |
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Posted by John Mark Hicks
September 27, 2017
For those familiar with Paul’s letters, it is no surprise that Paul follows his opening salutation with a thanksgiving. Like the opening itself, we should read this thanksgiving as more than formulaic. Rather, it introduces themes and concepts upon which Paul builds in the body of the letter, including his three requests or hopes. Paul’s […]
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Uncategorized | Tagged: Faith, Intercession, Love, Petition, Philemon, Philemon 4-7, Prayer, Thanksgiving |
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Posted by John Mark Hicks
April 23, 2016
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.” Acts 2:42, NRSV. “Our greatest trouble now is, it seems to me, a vast unconverted membership. A very large percent of the church members among us seem to have very poor conception of what a Christian ought […]
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Biblical Texts | Tagged: Acts 2:42, Communion, Eucharist, Fellowship, Lord's Supper, Prayer, Teaching |
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Posted by John Mark Hicks
March 26, 2016
Brief words often speak volumes. They say so much, and no other words are needed. “I thirst” is exactly that. While, at first, we may think this is primarily about physical thirst—and we should not discount that dimension, the words are more about the situation in which Jesus finds himself. “I thirst” is the cry […]
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Biblical Texts, Pastoral Care | Tagged: Cry of Dereliction, Holy Saturday, John 19:38, Lament, Prayer, Suffering, Thirst |
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Posted by John Mark Hicks
November 18, 2015
The first half of Jonah’s prayer (Jonah 2:2-6a) recalled Jonah’s plight in the sea—thrown into the water, engulfed in the waves, and sinking deep into Sheol—and his prayerful response, a cry for help. The second half of the prayer expresses thanksgiving for Yahweh’s deliverance (Jonah 2:6b-9). The two halves represent a typical Thanksgiving Psalm where […]
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Biblical Texts | Tagged: Jonah, Jonah 2, Jonah 2:6-10, Prayer, Protest, Psalm 116, Repentance, Thanksgiving |
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Posted by John Mark Hicks
September 3, 2014
There is always reason to weep. We don’t have to look too far into our world—whether through social media, television, or newsprint—to find reason to weep. Yet, too often we—especially the church—ignore, hide our eyes, or look past the pain in order to escape into fantasy, denial, or hope. We rarely sit in our grief […]
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Biblical Texts, Pastoral Care | Tagged: Grief, Lament, Lamentations, Liturgy, Prayer |
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Posted by John Mark Hicks