At the end of last year I sat down to talk with Gus Pritchard, Associate Pastor at Castleview Church, about the vision of ITS—to answer the big picture why questions—and share a bit of my own testimony and passions that have led in many ways to where ITS is today. It was such an encouraging reflection for me to think about God’s grace in my own life, and it trended in an interesting direction: how ITS results in missions! I hope you’re edified by the conversation as well. …
Read MoreOne of the more hotly debated topics in theology among Christians surrounds the study of last times and things, or eschatology. For those who seem so sure of their eschatological view, uncertainty arises when all sides seem to use Scripture to make their arguments. They all agree on the second coming of Christ, but they differ on what it will be like and when it will happen. Yet, one aspect of Christ’s return is sure: who it will involve.
Read MoreThe meaning of “justification” has recently become a debated topic in Pauline studies. The central thrust of Romans has always been a debated topic. Our Pauline Theology professor for this fall is Dr. Bill Barcley. At a recent gathering of the Evangelical Theological Society, Dr. Barcley read his paper titled “Romans, Missions and Justification” that brings these two concerns together. He avers, “Everything in the letter must be read in light of Paul’s missionary agenda,” and then puts forward “a reading of Romans that recognizes the centrality of Paul’s missionary goals, makes sense of the Jew/Gentile dimension in Romans, recognizes Paul’s wrestling with God’s faithfulness to his covenant with Israel, and upholds the traditional evangelical—and in my view biblical—understanding of justification” (1). …
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