Archive for December 2012
The Eclectic Web–2012/12/30
More on school shootings: Game Theory: A Year When Real-World Violence Crept Into Play The author denies a connection between real world violence and video games (certainly a debatable proposition), but the article reveals some interesting insight into human nature as the author, a young dad, considers what to do about his video games and…
Read MoreAn Examination of Sovereign Grace Ministries and Getty-Townend For Use in Fundamental Christian Churches (3)
Part 3 (Part 1 here; Part 2 here) Doug Bachorik and Ryan Weberg In Part 1, the authors established the desirability of adopting new and unfamiliar music for church music ministry, but they insist all such music must be thoroughly tested before being adopted (or adapted) by local churches (and individual Christians). In particular, this…
Read MoreHolidays and Old Testament Feasts
John Mincy Israel had nine appointed festival seasons, of which only three are technically called “feasts.” The Passover (Unleavened Bread), the Feast of Weeks (Harvest, Firstfruits, Pentecost), and Tabernacles (Ingathering) are the only three designated by the Hebrew word for feast. All the males of Israel were required to go up to Jerusalem for these…
Read MoreWho was praising God in Luke 2:14?
Grammatical notes on Luke 2:13 David Potter “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,…” A Christmas meditation: it starts out pretty technically, but stay with me to the end. It will be worth it. Our verse could be translated literally, ‘multitude of the host of…
Read MoreThe Desire of All Nations
Haggai 2:6-9 Introduction During this Christmas season, many Christians will listen to the music of Handel’s Messiah. We will join in singing Wesley’s beloved carol Hark! the Herald Angels Sing or his less well known Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus. In either case we will hear musical settings of God’s prophet when he said, “and the…
Read MoreThis is How We Know
Webster defines hermeneutics as “the science of interpretation; esp[ecially] the study of the principles of Biblical exegesis.” Nevertheless, a well-educated person may have no understanding of hermeneutics. In a conversation with a college professor from a well-known conservative (non-Christian) college, he challenged a clear interpretation of Scripture with the charge, “That’s your opinion.” When I…
Read MoreThe Eclectic Web: Dec 21, 2012
Two miscellaneous items of interest: How the internet is changing language “There are now thought to be some 4.5 billion web pages worldwide. And with half the population of China now on line, most of them are written in Chinese. “Still, some linguists predict that within 10 years English will dominate the internet – but…
Read MoreA Chronology of Jesus’ Birth
Doug Wright Most believers are aware that the typical Christmas pageant contains several inaccuracies – Mary was probably much younger than we picture, the manger was more likely a stone feeding trough, the three (we have no idea how many) “wise men” appearing at the “manger” (Scripture says they came to the “house”), etc. In…
Read MoreAn Examination of Sovereign Grace Ministries and Getty-Townend For Use in Fundamental Christian Churches (2)
Part 2 (Part 1 can be found here) Doug Bachorik and Ryan Weberg In Part 1 the authors established the desirability of adopting new and unfamiliar music for church music ministry, but they insist all such music must be thoroughly tested before being adopted (or adapted) by local churches (and individual Christians). In particular, this…
Read MoreConnecticut School Shooting: Will “Gun Control” Save The Kids?
Doug Wright In the wake of the Connecticut school shooting, Rush Limbaugh noted that guns have been around for a long, long time, but the kind of school shootings, mall shootings, theatre shootings, etc. we are experiencing have been on the rise. Limbaugh’s astute point is that guns have not changed – people have. Limbaugh…
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