“[I]t seems churches continue to struggle with declining attendance among young people, but … I find so many adults also seem to struggle with going to church these days. [W]hile reading [your previous post] I found myself wanting you to answer the question, ‘Why should Christians not give up on church?'”
“Every so often, a student will ask, ‘Why do I need to attend church? Doesn’t my salvation depend on believing what the church teaches—which should be nothing more and nothing less than what the Bible teaches?’ But the inference that participation in the church is unnecessary for a person’s salvation is wrong. And to see why it’s wrong, let’s tinker a bit with the thought experiment, using the basic story line from the movie, ‘Cast Away’ (2000).”
“[O]ne of my own favorite seminary professors, Dr. Paul L. Holmer, used to emphasize the difference between the language of faith and the language about faith. [….] In practice, religious speakers will often blend these two kinds of discourse.”
“I’ve set myself a goal: I want to grow up before I retire. [….] Thankfully, I have a pretty good idea of what being ‘grown up’ means to me: being as much like Roland Bainton as possible.”
“‘I sometimes feel spasms of shame when my learned colleagues show off their learned tomes.’ [My students] were quiet for a moment. Then Kelsey said, ‘But Dr. Steele, we are your tomes.'”
“Inclusiveness is the disposition to welcome the other as other—in his or her particularity and uniqueness….”