Roger

Some time ago I drove by a church where I read on the sign, “KJV Only.”  This of course, caught my attention!  And I wondered, “Why such a bold declaration?”  It dawned on me that only the church crowd would know what this abbreviation meant, much less care.    In recent years, battle lines have been drawn both for and against he authorized King James Version (KJV) of 1607.  It is STILL the most popular translation of the Bible.  Its eloquence is STILL unmatched and the King's English is STILL intriguing.  But along with its beauty comes weaknesses in its construction.  The English language has evolved dramatically since 1607, so to say that the KJV is the   only  right translation does not take into account language antiquity issues. When Queen Elizabeth of England died in 1603, King James VI of Scotland took the throne as King James !.  At that time three popular versions of the Bible existed:   The Gene...

I’m so thankful for the blood of Jesus.  We sing with gusto: “It washes white as snow.”  Truly, ours is a “crimson” salvation! Let me explain this phrase by quoting Matthew 1:18,  "This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about:  His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child  through the Holy Spirit. " Mary had never "known" a man before; she was a virgin in the very technical sense of the word  (verse 23) .  Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit without the intervention of a human father.  Joseph and Mary did not have sexual intercourse until  after  Mary gave birth to Jesus. Now, for a brief biology lesson!  When the male sperm and female ovum (egg) unite in what we refer to as conception, it is the male seed that determines both the sex of the child and the blood type of the fetus.  Therefore, when Mary conceived, it was in fact the...

Psalm 105:15 is quoted in defense of preachers who ask their followers to blindly follow them.  Anyone who asks questions or who disagrees with those in authority, even when their concerns are expressed in love and respect, is branded as being rebellious.  What is this verse REALLY saying?"   Being a minister and pastor, I too have wondered about this verse.  I think it's time to put it into a proper context, and then to confront any misapplications.  The psalmist writes,  "Do not touch my anointed ones; do my prophets no harm"  (NIV). While I appreciate those around me who pray for, love and support me, I'm always mindful of the fact that I, too, need accountability.  Nobody is right all the time.  Preachers are not infallible; however, the Scriptures require that those who labor in the gospel be treated with respect. Admittedly, God uses imperfect vessels to deliver His perfect message!  To be sure, the Bible tell...

As a hospice chaplain I do a lot of driving.  Down time between visits often allows me to listen to Christian radio.  I’m not a connoisseur of good preaching, but I enjoy a sound biblical message anytime, regardless of the stream from which it is delivered. However, one day I heard a broadcast that embarrassed me.   The preacher was not only arrogant, but condescending.   I was appalled by both his irritating voice tone and his biblically inaccurate presentation.   The fact that he “sucked wind” when he spoke left me wondering about his claim to be “anointed of the Holy Ghost.”   He evidently equated “loud and intense” with the anointing.   He referred to his hollering and hesitating as “Holy Ghost hiccups.”   How ridiculous!   Don’t get me wrong!   I do believe there’s a place for every genre of preaching and a place for different delivery styles, but there’s never room for self-serving and self-righteous preachers, who use ...