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I am the youth minister at a local church in North Texas, and twice a year I walk some of our students through a discipleship course. This time I presented them with a number of Bible studies to choose from, and they landed on Jesus Among Secular Gods, a study written by Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale and published by LifeWay (2017). It is a companion to their book of the same name which was published by FaithWords in early 2018.

I thoroughly enjoyed teaching through the study, learning many things myself, and thought I would write a brief review here. The version I am reviewing is the student edition, but there is an edition for adults that I assume is very similar, especially the teaching content.

Jesus Among Secular Gods is a six-week study following this outline:

• Week 1: Be Prepared
• Week 2: Atheism and Scientism
• Week 3:…

Earlier this week Haden’s post answered critics who claim that God is immoral because He condoned slavery in the Old Testament. Clearly this is not the case, for Old Testament slavery was completely different from the nineteenth century enslavement of African-Americans by American plantation owners. As a companion piece, I will now examine slavery in the New Testament, drawing many of the same conclusions.

Mentions of Slavery in the New Testament

Slavery is a topic that arises multiple times in the New Testament. Three mentions of it are found in the household codes of Ephesians (6:5-9), Colossians (3:22-4:1), and 1 Peter (2:18-25). The main Greek word used to denote slaves in the New Testament is doulos, occurring 126 times. The related term oiketes is also used four times. Interestingly, the way English translations of the Bible translate these words differs greatly. The HCSB, my translation of preference, translates doulos

Who ever thought that buying a Bible would be an overwhelming experience? You just go to the store and grab one, right? Well…no. You go to the store and you have to choose between this translation and that translation, between this study Bible and that study Bible. It’s more difficult than it should be.

So if you are looking for a new Bible, which translation should you choose? I thought that if I shared with you about the translation process and the differing methods used, it would help you make a more informed decision.

Some Translation Difficulties

As you know, the sixty-six books of the Bible were not written in English. The original authors, inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote in three languages: Greek, Hebrew, and Aramaic. With the exception of a few words, the entire New Testament was written in Greek. Most of the Old Testament was written in…

For the past several weeks leading up to Easter, we have been examining possible natural theories of the Resurrection. We have found them all wanting. If we are going to believe in the Resurrection and present it as true, we will need more than negative arguments against other theories. Is there any positive evidence for the Resurrection? Today, on Easter Sunday, we will make a positive case for the Resurrection.

Jesus Died by Crucifixion.

That Jesus died by crucifixion is one of the strongest attested facts surrounding the event. The historical data is overwhelming. All four Gospels record the events of his crucifixion, and I will quote three early historical sources here:

“When Pilate, upon hearing him [Jesus] accused by men of the highest standing among us, had condemned him to be crucified” (Josephus, Jewish Historian).

“Nero fastened the guilt and inflicted the most exquisite tortures on a class hated…

Luis Fonsi, singer/songwriter best known for his 2017 hit song “Despacito” and long-time friend Alex Vega owner of The Auto Firm collaborated on a custom 2018 Polaris Slingshot SL.

Luis called me and said that he had been thinking about getting a toy, something that I can drive on the weekends and just relax,” said Vega. “Right away my first thought was get a Slingshot, you’re in Miami!”

Vega and Fonsi, two artists in their own medium, designed a custom Slingshot the streets of Miami have never seen before. “It’s such a sexy, fun hybrid,” said Fonsi. “It’s the perfect car for Miami!”

Have a look below at how this custom Polaris Slingshot  SL came together.

Hate is a strong word. I rarely use it. When I do use it, I make it clear that I do not use it in jest, or without reason. When I say I hate something, I mean I abhor it, I detest it, and I wish it were not in existence.

Therefore, saying that I hate the prosperity gospel, I still feel I am putting it mildly. Frankly, I wish it would disappear never to deceive another Christian again.

What is the prosperity gospel?

Without giving you a long, drawn-out definition, I will make it simple: the prosperity gospel convinces Christians that God wants them to be wealthy, that he does not want his children to suffer, and that he wants them to enjoy every moment of this life, because he promised he would bless those who have faith enough to believe he would do just that.

In effect, the…

Critics of Christianity often claim that the Bible is full of errors and contradictions, historically inaccurate, and has been riddled with changes over the many years of translation. However, approaching the New Testament like one would approach any document from antiquity reveals something drastically different.

Dating

Dating the New Testament letters can be difficult and often leads to a difference of opinion among scholars. However, the majority of scholars – even the non-believing – agree that the four Gospels and Acts were written within a few decades (at max a century) of the time of the events recorded. This means the English translation of the New Testament you own is based on a very early recording of the events it tells. So goes the criticism of Christians adding to the New Testament over the centuries.

Number of Greek Manuscripts

We do not have the autographs, or original copies of the…

Today, Slingshot pulled the covers back on its most premium offering to date with the unveiling of the Grand Touring LE. Fully loaded and accessorized straight from the factory, the limited edition is the ultimate in comfort, style and technology. The Grand Touring LE features the most ergonomically-friendly Slingshade roof, which offers better rider comfort and sun protection.

Other features include Quilted Comfort Seats and industry-leading Ride Command infotainment system with turn-by-turn navigation.

Notable Quotes: “The Grand Touring LE is the perfect offering whether looking to escape town for the weekend or turn heads while cruising Main Street.” – Rachael Elia, Slingshot Marketing Manager

Pricing and Availability: The Grand Touring LE starts at around $30,000 USD and will be available at Polaris Slingshot dealers throughout the U.S. and Canada starting in early March.

Learn more here.

Indian Motorcycle has announced a new version of the iconic Scout, the new Indian Scout Bobber. Known for its exceptional bagger lineup, now, it is stripping it down with the latest Scout model. The new muscular Scout represents a core passion of motorcyclists – connecting to the road without a need for anything unnecessary.  Learn more about it here.