Tag Archives: Larry Perkins

Principles for Choosing a Model of Church Governance

By Larry J. Perkins, PhD Most church board chairs step into an existing model of church board governance. While board members individually may have only a modest sense of any coherent or intentional mode of governance, one exists. There are … Continue reading

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Applying Christian Wisdom to Climate Change

By Larry J. Perkins, PhD “Reigning in Life” (Rom. 5:17) for the Good of Humanity and Creation.[1] Some human activity induces climate change with concomitant negative effects upon creation and human society. People rightly experience anxiety and despair at the … Continue reading

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“Spirited” Work – The Implications of Paul’s Use of ἐνεργέω (energeō) and Cognates for Constructing a Theology of Work

By Larry Perkins, PhD It is impossible to present a comprehensive theology of human work in the context of the Kingdom of God within the limited scope of a single article. However, one can articulate a key principle that should … Continue reading

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Gospel Literacy, Evangelism, and the Average Believers

By Larry J. Perkins, PhD This paper evaluates claims made by Timothy Keller (Center Church) regarding the role of every believer as ‘evangelist.’ Early Church leaders focused upon developing ‘gospel literacy’ among Jesus followers so that they understood the content … Continue reading

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“Image of God” Theology in the New Testament and its Implications for Church Leadership

By Larry J. Perkins, PhD What is a human being? Christianity and its foundational texts offer a coherent response to the question within the framework of a Christian worldview. Christianity claims in its creeds that its answers to such questions … Continue reading

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Deep Gospel must be Full Gospel – Reflections on Matthew’s Vision of Gospel Reality in the light of Jim Belcher’s call for “Deep Gospel”

Review Essay: Jim Belcher, Deep Church. A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional. Downers Grove, Ill.; IVP, 2009. “Deep Gospel”, pages 105-122.  By Larry J. Perkins, PhD In the introduction to his book, Jim Belcher indicates that he borrowed the … Continue reading

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Atonement in 1 Peter – Reflections on Isaiah 53

By Larry J. Perkins, PhD The epistle of 1 Peter offers a specific perspective on the understanding of Jesus’ death and its significance. The writer’s integration of material from the Fourth Servant Song of Isaiah (52:13- 53:12) provides one of … Continue reading

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Discerning “The Spirit” in Mark 2:8; 8:12 and 14:38

This paper makes the argument that the writer of Mark’s Gospel always references the Holy Spirit or “unclean spirit/s” when he uses the term πνεῦμα. Continue reading

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“Leaders and Followers” in the Church

Whereas in the 1960s and 1970s great effort was made to dispel the myth of the clergy-laity distinction within the church, we have resurrected it in a new guise… Continue reading

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“Drinking It New in the Kingdom of God” (Mark 14:25) – An Assertion of Ownership?

The reference to drinking “the produce of the vine” in Mark 14:25 usually is seen as a reference to the eschatological banquet motif. In this article the argument is made that the Markan narrative does not refer to the eschatological banquet motif… Continue reading

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Mark 13:14 – A Cryptic Prophecy of the Messiah’s Death?

Larry J. Perkins, PhD Generally, current explanations of Mark 13:14 identify the “desolating sacrilege” or “the abomination of desolation” with the Roman destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. While certainly the agent of this desolation, the Roman action is not … Continue reading

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New Testament Greek Terms and Mark’s Gospel: Hermeneutical Inquiries

Hermeneutics is all about meaning. Bible expositors attempt to understand and explain how language works, orally and textually, and especially how it communicates meaning. Precise discernment of meaning arises from a comprehensive knowledge of a language’s[1] structures, i.e., the conventions developed to communicate meaning, as well as the cultural context within which that language functions. When texts, such as we find in the Bible written in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Hellenistic Greek, are imbued with unique religious significance, decoding and transferring their meaning across time and cultures arguably become critical competencies. Continue reading

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