Pastor Shaun Marksbury

My Goodreads review:  https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5236379384   5 Stars This great little book isn't too small to explore in necessary detail this seemingly mysterious subject. As the title promises, Faulkner explains various phenomena commonly attributed to extraterrestrial life, and he examines the supposed existence of outer space, intelligent life forms from a biblical and scientific perspective. He also delves into some of the more arcane theories, such as ancient astronauts, panspermia, flying saucers in Scripture, and those of the UFO cults of recent decades. I recommend this book for any Christian wanting to think biblically and accurately about this subject, so you're not left wondering if the kingdom of God might one day include a United Federation of Planets.

 I wanted to write a quick post prompted by a unsolicited book I received through church mail.  It's titled  Catch and Release God’s Supernatural: Keys to Operating in God’s Miracles, Healing, and Power . I don't know the author, but the title is a flag as red as the cover of the book.  If there's anything we see in Scripture about the supernatural, it's that natural man can't catch it and control it.  This is true of even the apostles, who could not always heal themselves or others.   Yet, the back cover of this book says that the author has experienced "personally and in ministry," and he will "take you by the hand to teach you how you too can operate in the same power." We don't need to look beyond this cover to know how this will go.  The first bullet point intended to highlight what Nkoyoyo will show is this: "how the power of God will make a shift in your life."  The word "shift" is one of the ambiguous words false p...

This evening starts the SRL ( Seminario Reformando Latinoamericano ) Annual Reformed Theological Convention, which runs October 18-23. Here are the speakers and planned topics: Visit the website for the planned lineup which begins at 7:00pm EST each night.  If you're interested in watching online, the YouTube livestream link is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHdgQMS457U .

I just finished listening to 6-part series on William Branham over at The Cultish Show .  Occasionally, I'll receive material from a Branham-associated ministry or a question from someone who came out of that background.  While this was more of a 20th century cult with its founder long dead, it still wields influence today, especially in some of the false teachings it popularized.  If you have encountered this group or have questions about it, I recommend this series to you. Part 1: Exploring The Origins Of William Branham Part 2: William Branham, Roy E. Davis, & The formulation of "The Message" Part 3: Congressman William D. Upshaw & the Ku Klux Clan Part 4: William Branham's End Times Visions & The Serpent Seed Part 5: William Branham & The Latter Rain Part 6: William Branham & The Road to Jonestown

This question, posed in different ways, inquires when we'll meet that certain threshold, that moment when the church is no longer considered "a plant" but planted .  It's a question asked to divine that moment of critical mass, the necessary "material" when the church becomes both sustainable and influential in the community.  In short, it's asking when we become a church . Here's your challenge and mine: Such is always is the wrong question to ask. I was reminded of this fact again in my sermon prep (yes, I do my own!).  One commentary notes the following exchange and helpfully opines: A young preacher once complained to Charles Spurgeon, the famous British preacher of the 1800s, that he did not have as big a church as he deserved. “How many do you preach to?” Spurgeon asked. “Oh, about 100,” the man replied. Solemnly Spurgeon said, “That will be enough to give account for on the day of judgment.” We do not measure the fulfillment of a ministry only...

 A recent question reminded me of this quote.  This is Kaiser on the question of cultural terminology in Toward an Exegetical Theology : But it is clear that Scripture refused to fall into some cultural containments which might thereby reduce the content of the message. One good example of this resistance is the Bible’s rejection of the “three-tiered” universe model. To see in certain poetical portions of Scripture the pre-Copernican cosmological model which had a solid dome, flat earth, and an abyss beneath the earth (along with supporting pillars and slits in the dome for rain and stars!) is either an exegetical contrivance or a failure to spot the use of figurative language.  The exegete must then ask when it is appropriate to adopt both the content and the form of the cultural item (p. 115).

 According to one popular Baptist resource, we read, Dispensational premillennialism can be identified through two basic features: (1) a distinction is made between God’s program for Israel and His program for the church; (2) a consistently literal interpretation of the Scriptures is maintained. Dispensational premillennialists believe that the church will be raptured (1 Thess. 4:13–18) prior to the Tribulation period; God will judge unbelieving Gentiles and disobedient Israel during the Tribulation (Rev. 6–19). At the end of the Tribulation Christ will return with the church and establish the millennial kingdom on earth. Following the thousand-year reign, Satan will be freed once more, whereupon he and his followers will be cast into the lake of fire (Rev. 20:7–10). The eternal state will follow.  - Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology  (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 1989), 389. This is an interesting definition because of how it boils down these features. ...