Six Theses on Creation: A Theology for Heralding the Coming Kingdom of God

October 25, 2011

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 […]


Old is Good, New is Better: Creation and Sacraments

November 18, 2010

Created materiality is good; indeed, it is very good. It is not simply good in an ethical sense but delightful and wondrous. God created the world as a temple in which to dwell, a place where God and humanity would enjoy each other, delight in the wonder of the world, and rest within it. Materiality, […]


Table Reflections: Jesus Serves the Table

September 27, 2010

In my previous two posts I suggested three perspectives from which we might view the table: Jesus on the Table–the sacrifical victim who nourishes us with new life Jesus at the Table–the hospitable host who welcomes all to the table Jesus serving the Table–the master who waits on tables Today: Jesus Serves the Table. Luke […]


Table Reflections: Jesus on the Table

September 9, 2010

I recently returned from Lancaster, England, where I participated in the European Christian Workshop.  It was a wonderful event and I enjoyed my association with that group of Christians immensely.  Asked to speak five times about the table (Lord’s Supper), my final lesson was thematic.  I wanted to share it with you since it is a […]


Hungering for the Future (Lenten Reflections on Genesis 15)

February 23, 2010

Text: Genesis 15:1-18 [For an amplified narration of Genesis 15 read my previous post.] Abraham waited for a child. And then his descendants waited 400 years in slavery for the land. Waiting is part of every believer’s journey. The Psalms overflow with the language (e.g., Psalm 25). “Wait for Yahweh,” the Psalmist writes (Psalm 27:14). […]


The Baptism of Jesus–Fuller Picture

September 8, 2009

[For those interested, a video of my 2007 sermon on the baptism of Jesus at Sycamore View Church of Christ in Memphis, TN, is available here (October 21, 2007) and my 9/6/09 sermon on the baptism of Jesus at Woodmont Hills Family of God will be available here soon.] Luke’s description of the baptism of […]


Sacramental Theology: Experiencing Divine Presence (SBD 15)

June 30, 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.] Sacramental theology, in some quarters of American […]


Baptismal Rapprochement Between Southern Baptists and Churches of Christ?

June 26, 2009

Just as Zurich (“Zwinglianism”) and Geneva (“Calvinianism”) found sacramental common ground in the Consensus Tigurinus, my paper at the 2009 Christian Scholar’s Conference explored whether such a rapprochement is possible between Southern Baptists and Churches of Christ who, in many ways, are the credobaptistic heirs of Zurich and Geneva. Since there is presently a renewed discussion among […]


Missional Table

March 29, 2009

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. […]


New Items Posted: Baptism, Job, 2 Timothy

February 19, 2009

Continuing my quest to post previously published or presented materials, I have uploaded some new items–well, some old items (1990s) that are now newly offered on this website.  🙂 Baptism and Alexander Campbell. The 1990 book Baptism and the Remission of Sins (College Press), edited by David Fletcher, contained three articles I authored. They are […]